Prunus laurocerasus L.
(W.R.S., D.R.G.)
cherry laurel
Evergreen, wide spreading shrub or tree, up to c. 10 m high when mature, not armed, glabrous or almost so; trunks often several, usually short, often forming large thickets. Lf petiole 5-10-(12) mm long; blade coriaceous, oblanceolate to narrow-elliptic or narrow-oblong, (75)-90-150-(180) × (23)-30-50-(55) mm, acute to very short-acuminate but often splitting at tip and appearing emarginate, especially when dried, cuneate to rounded at base, shining above with prominent paler veins, less shining below; margin somewhat recurved, ± entire toward base, with distant, short, acute teeth toward apex; stipules long-triangular, deciduous. Infl. an axillary or terminal, erect, dense raceme (80)-100-(120) mm long, with 20-30-(35) fragrant fls; pedicels 2-2.5-(5) mm long, elongating slightly after anthesis. Hypanthium broad; sepals broadly triangular, c. 1 mm long, acute, green, ± erect. Petals 5, spreading, orbicular, 2.5-5 × 2-4 mm, rounded, greenish white to cream. Stamens > petals; filaments pale. Fr. c. 10 mm long, ovoid, glabrous, dark purple, very bitter; stone smooth.
N.: Auckland (Mt Hobson), S. Auckland (Matangi), Wellington (Kaiwhakauka Valley, Hutt Valley); S.: Westport, Reefton, Hanmer, Christchurch, Dunedin, Otago Peninsula.
S.E. Europe 1958
Plantations and around shelterbelts, roadsides, wastelands in lowland areas.
FL Aug-Sep FT Nov-Jan.
Poisonous (Connor 1977).
P. laurocerasus is frequently grown as a hedge plant for its dense, evergreen habit and relics of cultivation are very common in settled areas, especially around old homesteads, domains and parks.
