Prunus laurocerasus It is a species of medium-sized evergreen shrub that belongs to the Rosaceae family. Known as cherry laurel, smooth laurel, royal laurel, lauro, lauroceraso or parrot, it is a species native to Southeastern Europe and Asia Minor.
It is a highly branched shrub with evergreen, oval, leathery and bright green leaves with slightly serrated margins. The pentameric and actinomorphic flowers are grouped in long axillary inflorescences, the fruit is a small glossy black drupe when ripe.
It is a fast-growing plant that is used as an ornamental plant to form hedges or grown in pots to place on balconies and terraces. In the field it is used to form windbreak barriers and undergrowth, in parks and squares it is sown in small groups or as single specimens..
Its fruits are consumed fresh and are used as an effective natural sedative to calm the nerves and improve sleep. However, the seeds contain hydrocyanic acid, being extremely toxic. Its ingestion can cause burning of the oral mucosa, nausea, palpitations, hyperthermia and tachypnea..
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Shrubby species or small widely branched evergreen tree with compact foliage that reaches 6-8 m in height. It is generally grown as an ornamental hedge. Its stem has a woody texture and greyish bark, while the semi-woody branches are grayish-green with multiple lenticels..
Oval leaves with a leathery appearance, shiny dark green on the upper side, pale green on the underside, 8-10 cm long. Petiole short, leaflet with a rounded base and pointed apex, slightly serrated margins, with 2-3 secreting glands at the insertion of the petiole.
The aromatic flowers of white color and 8 mm in diameter are grouped in erect and pyramidal inflorescences of 8-12 cm in length. They are generally arranged in an axillary or terminal position. Flowering occurs during spring and blooms again during fall.
The fruit is a fleshy edible drupe 10-12 mm in diameter, with a lustrous purple-blackish color when ripe, grouped in axillary clusters. Each fruit contains a rough and hard pericarp seed, bitter in taste and highly toxic.
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Subclass: Rosidae
- Order: Rosales
- Family: Rosaceae
- Subfamily: Amygdaloideae
- Tribe: Amygdaleae
- Gender: Prunus
- Subgenre: Cerasus
- Section: Laurocerasus
- Species: Prunus laurocerasus L.
- Prunus: the name of the genus derives from the ancient Greek "προύνη" and from the Latin "prūnus, i" which means plum.
- laurocerasus: the specific adjective comes from the Latin terms "laurus" and "cerasus" which mean "laurel" and "cherry". Alluding to its leaves and fruits similar to the cherry tree.
- Cerasus laurocerasus (L.) Dum. Cours.
- Laurocerasus officinalis M. Roem.
- Padus laurocerasus (L.) Mill.
- Prunus grandifolia Salisb.
The natural habitat of the cherry laurel is located in temperate climates and deciduous forest ecosystems. It grows on fertile, humid soils with a slightly acidic pH, in full sun exposure or half shade, adapts to cold climates and tolerates frost.
Wildly distributed throughout the Balkans and the Caucasus in Eastern Europe, as well as Turkey and Iran in Western Asia. It is currently cultivated as an ornamental species in temperate regions throughout Europe, in addition to Morocco and the Macaronesian Islands..
There are several cultivars that vary fundamentally in the size and shape of their leaves, including angustifolia, Caucasian, japonica, mangolifolia, parvifolia, rotundifolia and zabeliana..
Cherry laurel can be propagated from seeds planted in the spring or semi-woody cuttings during the summer. The seeds do not require a pre-germination treatment, only a suitable medium that is well humid and drained throughout the germination stage..
It is recommended to use germination trays with a loose, fertile universal substrate that facilitates drainage, but maintains constant moisture. The application of fungicides based on copper or sulfur is essential to disinfect the substrate and prevent the appearance of fungal diseases.
For each alveolus, two seeds are placed, covered with a layer of substrate and kept in a cool place under shade. In this phase it is advisable to spray daily, in this way after 15-20 days the germination process begins..
For vegetative propagation, terminal cuttings 25-30 cm long are selected, the cut is impregnated with phytohormones and planted in a vermiculite substrate. The pots are protected from direct sun and constant humidity is maintained, the rooting process begins after 30-40 days.
In the field it develops under full sun exposure, planted in pots, it adapts to half-shaded conditions. It lacks invasive roots, however, it is advisable to plant it at a certain distance from walls or walls, as well as tall trees so that it can develop effectively.
The cherry laurel grows on any type of terrain, even limestone and heavy, but prefers deep, fertile and well-drained soils. Its cultivation in pots requires a fertile and loose substrate with a good content of fine sand, perlite or volcanic clay that facilitates drainage..
It requires frequent watering, without getting to flood or stop watering for a long time, since it does not tolerate drought. During the summer it can be watered 3-4 times a week and the rest of the year every 4-5 days, depending on the environmental conditions..
This small shrub is a perennial plant that is in continuous growth, for this reason periodic applications of organic fertilizers must be made. Indeed, it is advisable to apply composted plant material, bovine manure, guano or worm castings during the spring..
As an ornamental plant it is tolerant to continuous pruning, maintenance pruning is frequent to preserve the hedge shape throughout the year. With pruning, broken, wilted and diseased branches are eliminated, as well as those that present disproportionate growth.
Species adapted to warm temperate climate conditions, where the temperature drops to 0 ºC or can reach up to 40 ºC during the summer. In addition, it is tolerant to occasional frosts below -15 ºC.
It is a plant quite resistant to the incidence of diseases as long as the adequate humidity and temperature conditions are preserved..
Fungi of the genus Capnodium they are the causal agent of the disease known as sooty mold or bold, similarly associated with the attack of aphids and mealybugs. Symptoms are characterized by the presence of a black or ashy coating on the surface of the leaves..
Under conditions of flooding and poor drainage of the land, the appearance of fungi of the genera Fusarium, Pythium Y Phytophthora. Root rot causes general plant weakening and eventually death.
The mushroom Stigmina carphopila it is the causal agent of this disease of cherry laurel foliage. Symptoms manifest as virulent purple spots on branches and leaves.
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