# Cherry laurel (*Prunus laurocerasus*) Cherry laurel is a lovely green shrub with shiny leaves. It grows berries that can be red or black, but be careful, they are not safe to eat! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Cherry laurel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Karayemi%C5%9F-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Karduelis, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Karayemi%C5%9F-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Cherry laurel is an evergreen shrub with large, glossy, dark green leaves that are leathery to the touch. It has small, fragrant, creamy-white flowers growing in upright spikes, followed by shiny, cherry-like black fruits. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Prunus ## Interesting facts - Despite its name, it's more closely related to plums and cherries than true bay laurels. - Some parts of the Cherry laurel actually smell like almonds when crushed, due to its chemical compounds! - This plant is so tough, it can grow in many different soils and even in shady spots! - While the fruit flesh is safe for birds, the seed inside contains a chemical defense! ## Special abilities - **Year-Round Energy:** Cherry laurel has evergreen leaves that help it photosynthesize and make food all year long, even in winter. - **Toxic Shield:** Cherry laurel produces a natural cyanide in its leaves and seeds, which helps it defend against hungry animals. - **Rapid Growth:** Cherry laurel can grow very quickly, helping it establish itself fast and outcompete other plants for light. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 200-1000 cm - **Spread:** 200-800 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-0.8 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** High - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar from its spring flowers. - **Shelter:** Eurasian Blackcap (*Sylvia atricapilla*) — uses its dense foliage for nesting and cover. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Don't eat the berries, as they can make you feel unwell. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cherry laurel? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Cherry laurel? 200-1000 cm ### How wide does Cherry laurel spread? 200-800 cm ### How big are the flowers on Cherry laurel? 0.5-0.8 cm ### When does Cherry laurel bloom? Spring ### Is Cherry laurel edible? No ### Is Cherry laurel toxic? High ### What is Cherry laurel's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Fairhaven](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fairhaven) — Washington, US · Neighborhood - [Marymoor Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/marymoor-park) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve - [Woodland Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/woodland-park-zoo) — Washington, US · Zoo - [Beverley Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/beverley-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Stuart Addition Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stuart-addition-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Queen Anne Boulevard](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/queen-anne-boulevard) — Washington, US · Park [View all places to see Cherry laurel](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cherry-laurel) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Cherry laurel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cherry-laurel)