Cherry Laurel
Prunus laurocerasus
- Native to:
- Albania, Bulgaria, Iran, Libya, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Romania, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe
Karduelis
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Species:
- Prunus laurocerasus
- USDA Symbol:
- PRLA5
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 800 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- white
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
dot-lined white (Artace cribraria), Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis), Lebeau's silk moth (Rothschildia lebeau), Rothschildia jorulla
Reported Fauna Sightings
Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Moths:Eight-spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata) Butterflies:Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- native to regions with high organic matter in soil
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Seeds have double dormancy; warm stratification followed by cold may improve germination. Germination can be erratic.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI