Prunus caroliniana
Encyclopedia
Prunus caroliniana, known as the Carolina Cherry Laurel, with syns. Cherry Laurel, Carolina Cherry, Laurelcherry or Wild Mock Orange, is a flowering tree
native to the Southeastern United States
, from North Carolina
south to Florida
and westward to eastern Texas
. It was once classified as Laurocerasus caroliniana. It is not to be confused with its European relative Prunus laurocerasus, which is also called Cherry Laurel, though mainly known as English Laurel in the U.S.
are dark green, alternate, glossy, coriaceous, elliptic to oblanceolate, 5-12 cm long, usually with an entire (smooth) margin, but occasionally serrulate (having subtle serrations), and with cuneate bases. The twigs are red to grayish brown, slender, and glabrous. (Reproductively mature trees have entire margins, whereas immature ones often have serrations.)
The white to cream-colored flowers
are produced in racemes
(stalked bunches) 5-8 cm long in the late winter to early spring. The fruits
are tiny black cherries about 1 cm in diameter, which persist through winter and are primarily consumed by birds (Feb. - April).
fragrance or that of almond extract.
in gardens, particularly in Europe. The tree is considered hardy in USDA zones
7B through 10A. It prefers full sun and well-drained, acidic soil, often developing chlorosis if grown in overly alkaline soil. It is known to grow to elevations of 152 m (500 feet).
Due to its prolific seed production and ease of seed dispersal via birds, this tree is sometimes considered a "weedy native" species. When damaged or cut down to the ground, it is capable of vigorously resprouting. It often forms shrubby thickets in the wild.
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
native to the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
south to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and westward to eastern Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It was once classified as Laurocerasus caroliniana. It is not to be confused with its European relative Prunus laurocerasus, which is also called Cherry Laurel, though mainly known as English Laurel in the U.S.
Description
Prunus caroliniana is a small to medium sized evergreen tree which grows to about 8-13 m tall, with a spread of about 6-9 m. The leavesLeaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are dark green, alternate, glossy, coriaceous, elliptic to oblanceolate, 5-12 cm long, usually with an entire (smooth) margin, but occasionally serrulate (having subtle serrations), and with cuneate bases. The twigs are red to grayish brown, slender, and glabrous. (Reproductively mature trees have entire margins, whereas immature ones often have serrations.)
The white to cream-colored flowers
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
are produced in racemes
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
(stalked bunches) 5-8 cm long in the late winter to early spring. The fruits
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
are tiny black cherries about 1 cm in diameter, which persist through winter and are primarily consumed by birds (Feb. - April).
Characteristics
The leaves and branches contain high amounts of prussic acid (cyanide), making it a potential toxic hazard to grazing livestock and children. Due to this, it is considered highly deer-resistant. When crushed, its leaves and green twigs emit a fragrance described as resembling maraschino cherryMaraschino cherry
A maraschino cherry is a preserved, sweetened cherry, typically made from light-colored sweet cherries such as the Royal Ann, Rainier, or Gold varieties...
fragrance or that of almond extract.
Cultivation
Prunus caroliniana has long been an ornamental tree and landscape hedge shrubShrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
in gardens, particularly in Europe. The tree is considered hardy in USDA zones
Hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographically defined area in which a specific category of plant life is capable of growing, as defined by climatic conditions, including its ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone...
7B through 10A. It prefers full sun and well-drained, acidic soil, often developing chlorosis if grown in overly alkaline soil. It is known to grow to elevations of 152 m (500 feet).
Due to its prolific seed production and ease of seed dispersal via birds, this tree is sometimes considered a "weedy native" species. When damaged or cut down to the ground, it is capable of vigorously resprouting. It often forms shrubby thickets in the wild.
Varieties
Cultivated varieties include:- Prunus caroliniana 'Compacta' grows to about half the usual height and width of the species.
- Prunus caroliniana 'Cherry Ruffles' has wavy/ruffled leaf margins.