How hard can I hack this back?

Is it this Spotted Laurel Hedging Plants - (Aucuba Japonica Variegata)

I think you can do what you like with it, pretty tough.
I'd wait till spring.

 

We have this at the entrance of the drive. I'd remove it but it gets lots of small birds nesting in it. Ours is about 8ft tall and 8ft diameter. I keep it in check by cutting back to deep within the plant every year. This helps to keep its size / shape and means that it always has leaves. The leaves are only at the end of leggy growth so taking all of the outside growth off would leave just branches with no foliage. Cut it back as hard as you like - it will take it as Pete suggests.

Lazy shot taken from my study window just now. It was pruned hard this month so the shape isn't at its best.

 

Agree but prune with secateurs, or at least tidy with secateurs if you take shears to them. They look awful if leaves themselves are cut. I like to cut to new buds or shoots....as hard back as you like.....but following the basic rounded shape.

 

I agree with Verdun. Neighbour downstairs has one either side of her front door. Out comes the electric hedge trimmer and everything gets a good hacking. Looks terrible, leaves chopped in half, chopped ends to branches and stems UGGH!

 

Yes, laurel can be cut as hard as you like but if sheared will produce dying brown leaves until they (eventually, and they take their time in doing so) drop off so for aesthetic reasons finishing with secateurs is advisable

 

Tough as old boots,the green one. The spotted ones i find arent as tough. Maybe the 2 ive got are soft or could be possibly infected with something,who knows?

 

Anyone know what causes black dry crunchy tips of the leaves of spotted laurel? Looks awful. Tempted to turf out the ones I’ve got and replace them.

 

Got three of these in the gardens and all of them get it. Prune it all out and ot just comes back again.

 

Snorky, are they in heavy wet soil?

 

Well it’s clay but that part of the garden definitey isn’t wet.

 

I get this on mine and I've got very sandy soil.
I tend to just cut the affected leaves off but would like to know the cause of it.