Portuguese laurel
ExplorePlants
Portuguese laurel
Prunus lusitanica
Portuguese laurel is a lovely evergreen shrub with shiny leaves. It can grow tall and is often used to make gardens look beautiful and green all year round.
Habitat: Urban areas
Appearance
The Portuguese laurel has glossy, dark green leaves with striking reddish petioles that make it stand out. Its small, creamy-white flowers grow in upright spikes in late spring, later forming pea-sized berries that ripen from bright red to shiny black.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderRosalesFamilyRosaceaeGenusPrunus
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Birds love its dense, evergreen leaves for safe nesting and a secret snack of ripe berries!
Despite its name, this tough plant grows wild in sunny parts of Spain, France, and North Africa too!
Its tiny berries transform from bright red to glossy black, like magical color-changing jewels!
The wood of Portuguese laurel is super strong and dense, sometimes used for making tool handles!
Special abilities
Ability
Drought Defender
Portuguese laurel can endure dry spells thanks to its thick, leathery leaves that minimize water loss, helping it survive harsh conditions.
Ability
Shade Seeker
Portuguese laurel thrives in low-light areas, using its broad, dark leaves to efficiently capture what little sunlight filters through the canopy.
Ability
Winter Green
Portuguese laurel keeps its vibrant green leaves all year, allowing it to photosynthesize even through the cold winter months when other plants are bare.
Ability
Resilient Regrowth
Portuguese laurel can quickly regrow after being trimmed or damaged, making it a very resilient plant that bounces back easily.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 200-1000 cm
- Spread
- 150-600 cm
- Flower Size
- 0.5-0.8 cm
- Bloom Season
- Late spring to early summer
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- High
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
pollinates
European honey bee
Apis mellifera
Visits its small, fragrant flowers for nectar.
eaten by
Common blackbird
Turdus merula
Feasts on its ripe, dark berries.
eaten by
Song thrush
Turdus philomelos
Enjoys the plant's nutrient-rich fruits.
shelters
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Great tit
Parus major
Finds safe nesting spots in its dense foliage.
Traits
Ornamental
Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
Shrub
A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
Evergreen
Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
Edible
Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
Pollinator Magnet
Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
Rapid Growing
Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
Urban Friendly
This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Always be careful around plants and don't eat anything unless an adult says it's safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Portuguese laurel?
200-1000 cm
How wide does Portuguese laurel spread?
150-600 cm
How big are the flowers on Portuguese laurel?
0.5-0.8 cm
When does Portuguese laurel bloom?
Late spring to early summer
Is Portuguese laurel edible?
No
Is Portuguese laurel toxic?
High
What is Portuguese laurel's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is Portuguese laurel pollinated?
Insect
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