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Prunus laurocerasus - L.

Cherry Laurel

Author	L.	Botanical references	11, 17, 200
Family	Rosaceae	Genus	Prunus
Synonyms	Cerasus laurocerasus - (L.)Loisel. Laurocerasus officinalis - M.Roem. Padus laurocerasus - (L.)Mill.
Known Hazards	All parts of the plant contain hydrogen cyanide, a poison that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. This toxin is found mainly in the leaves and seed and is readily detected by its bitter taste. It is usually present in too small a quantity to do any harm but any very bitter seed or fruit should not be eaten. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.
Range	E. Europe to W. Asia. More or less naturalized in Britain[17].
Habitat	Woods in Britain[17].
Edibility Rating	4 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	3 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Shrub growing to 6m by 10m at a medium rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Deep Shade; Ground Cover; Hedge;

Cultivars: (as above except)
'Camelliifolia'
'Otto Luyken'

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit; Seed.

Edible Uses: Condiment.

Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet and reasonably pleasant when fully ripe[65, 74, K]. The cultivar 'Camelliifolia' bears huge quantities of fruit[K]. This is the size of a large cherry and, when fully ripe, has a reasonable flavour raw with a jelly-like texture and a slight astringency[K]. Some sources suggest the fruit is poisonous, this probably refers to the unripe fruit[7]. We have eaten this fruit in quite large quantities without the slightest ill effects (this also includes a 2 year old child) and so any toxicity is of a very low order[K]. However, any fruit that is bitter should not be eaten in quantity because the bitterness is caused by the presence of the toxic compounds - see the notes above on toxicity. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter and contains one large seed[200]. Water distilled from the leaves is used as an almond flavouring[2, 46, 61, 183]. It should only be uses in small quantities, it is poisonous in large amounts[183]. Seed - raw or cooked. Do not eat the seed if it is too bitter - see the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Antispasmodic; Narcotic; Ophthalmic; Sedative.

The fresh leaves are antispasmodic, narcotic and sedative[4, 7]. They are of value in the treatment of coughs, whooping cough, asthma, dyspepsia and indigestion[4, 238]. Externally, a cold infusion of the leaves is used as a wash for eye infections[238]. There are different opinions as to the best time to harvest the leaves, but they should only be used fresh because the active principles are destroyed if the leaves are dried[4]. Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, all members of the genus contain amygdalin and prunasin, substances which break down in water to form hydrocyanic acid (cyanide or prussic acid). In small amounts this exceedingly poisonous compound stimulates respiration, improves digestion and gives a sense of well-being[238].

Other Uses

Cleanser; Dye; Essential; Ground cover; Hedge; Wood.

Very tolerant of trimming, this plant makes an excellent hedge especially in shady areas[11, 29, 200]. Some forms of this plant, notably 'Cherry Brandy', 'Otto Luyken', 'Zabelina' and 'Schipkaensis' are low-growing and make very good ground cover plants for sun or shade[182, 197]. Water distilled from the leaves is used in perfumery[4]. The bruised leaves, when rubbed within any container, will remove strong odours such as garlic or cloves so long as any grease has first been fully cleaned off[4]. A green dye can be obtained from the leaves[168]. A dark grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit[168]. Wood - pinkish grey. Used in turnery and lathe work[74].

Scented Plants

Flowers: Fresh

The flowers are powerfully fragrant[245] but have a rather offensive odour[182]. This is a matter of opinion, some people find the smell sweet and delightful[K].

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil[1, 11]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Thrives in a loamy soil, doing well on limestone[11]. Prefers some chalk in the soil but it is apt to become chlorotic if too much is present, growing badly on shallow chalk[98, 200]. Extremely tolerant of shade, it succeeds in the dense shade of trees with almost no direct light and in their drip line[197, 200], though it fruits better in a more sunny position[200]. A very ornamental plant, there are many named varieties[200]. The cultivar 'Otto Luyken' is a low growing narrow-leafed form that flowers in spring and autumn. The tiny flowers are powerfully fragrant[245] but have a rather offensive odour[182]. This is a matter of opinion, some people find the smell sweet and delightful[K]. A greedy plant, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants[11], it should be introduced with care since it often self-sows in woodlands and can prevent the successful regeneration of native trees by shading out the seedlings[208]. Most members of this genus are shallow-rooted and will produce suckers if the roots are damaged[238]. The flowers attract butterflies and moths[30]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[88, 200]. Subject to bacterial canker which can kill large branches[124]. Trim (preferably with secateurs) in spring or late summer[200]. Old plants can be cut back hard into the old wood in spring and will soon recover[200].

Propagation

Seed - requires 2 - 3 months cold stratification and is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[200]. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as early in the year as possible[200]. Protect the seed from mice etc. The seed can be rather slow, sometimes taking 18 months to germinate[113]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame[11, 200]. Cuttings of mature wood, October in a sheltered north facing border outdoors[113]. Layering in spring.

Cultivars

'Cherry Brandy'

A low growing form, it can be used for ground cover in sunny or shady positions[182, 197].

'Camelliifolia'

A large shrub, growing more than 4 metres tall and wide[K]. The fruit is the size of a large cherry, it is borne abundantly and has a pleasant flavour when fully ripe with a jelly-like texture, though there is a slight astringency[K].

'Otto Luyken'

This is a low growing narrow-leaved form that flowers freely in the spring and again in the autumn. It grows about 1.2 metres tall[11] and makes a very good ground cover for sun or shade[182, 197].

'Schipkaensis'

A very hardy low growing form to about 2 metres in height[11, 200], it can succeed outdoors in colder climates than other forms of the species, tolerating the cold winters of continental northern Germany and parts of North America[11]. It can be used for ground cover in sunny or shady positions[182, 197].

'Zabelina'

A low growing very hardy form that can succeed in areas with winters as cold as those of northern Germany[11]. The leaves that are almost willow-like[11]. It seldom grows more than 90cm tall but will usually eventually become 3.5 metres or more wide[11]. Very free-flowering, it is very useful for ground cover in sunny or shady positions[11, 182, 197]. It retains its low habit even when growing in shade[11].

Links

This plant is also mentioned in the following PFAF articles: Ground cover plants..

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[29] Shepherd. F.W. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society. 1974 ISBN 0900629649
A small but informative booklet giving details of all the hedging plants being grown in the R.H.S. gardens at Wisley in Surrey.

[30] Carter D. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan 1982 ISBN 0-330-26642-x
An excellent book on Lepidoptera, it also lists their favourite food plants.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[74] Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.

[88] RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987
Snippets of information from the magazine of the RHS. In particular, there are articles on plants that are resistant to honey fungus, oriental vegetables, Cimicifuga spp, Passiflora species and Cucurbits.

[98] Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. 0
Very comprehensive guide to growing trees and shrubs from seed. Not for the casual reader.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[124] RHS. The Garden. Volume 113. Royal Horticultural Society 1988
Snippets of information from the magazine of the RHS, including details on Podophyllum, Canna and Protea species.

[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.

[182] Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[197] Royal Horticultural Society. Ground Cover Plants. Cassells. 1989 ISBN 0-304-31089-1
A handy little booklet from the R.H.S.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Prunus laurocerasus

Una McDermott Sat Mar 9 12:25:10 2002

My understanding is that even small amounts of the plant can cause poisoning. The leaves containcyanogenic glycocides. These glycosides yield hydrocyanic acid (cyanide)when enzymes in crushed plant material or the digestive system act on them. Cyanide smells of almonds. Distilling material from the leaves may concentrate the levels of cyanide to a toxic level.

Prunus laurocerasus

Ken Fern Sat Mar 9 12:27:53 2002

Dear Una McDermott

Many thanks for your email regarding Prunus laurocerasus and the conflicting reports of edibility and poisonousness.

Prunus laurocerasus is in the rose family of plants. This family includes many well-known edible fruits including the apple, pear, plum, strawberry, cherry, apricot, peach, blackberry and raspberry. A very high proportion of plants in the rose family also contain cyanogenic glycosides. This is found, in small quantities, in the leaves and seeds, but also in the fruits and can be detected by the characteristic bitter flavour reminiscent of almonds. Indeed, it is these glycosides that give almonds (also a member of the rose family) their characteristic flavour. Whilst the sweet almonds that are so commonly used as an article of food have only a low concentration of these glycosides, the bitter almonds that are used commercially to make marzipan and other food flavourings contain a much higher content (indeed there are records of three of these bitter almond seeds causing death in a young child). Even the sweet almonds are not totally safe to eat - it has been stimulated that about 900 seeds would constitute a lethal dose for an average healthy adult.

These glycosides are not all bad, however. Indeed, they are used both by conventional medicine and by herbalists as a stimulant for the respiratory system. In conventional medicine, the compound is used in isolation, but herbally many plants rich in these glycosides are used, including the bitter almond and Prunus laurocerasus (the leaves and seeds rather than the fruits).

The fruits of Prunus laurocerasus are usually quite low in glycoside content and are thus completely safe to eat in all but very large quantities. I have eaten quite large quantities on a number of occasions and have also given them to my young children who love them. However, I always make sure the fruit is fully ripe (it acquires a jelly-like consistency) and that it has a sweet rather than bitter flavour. Eaten like this they are completely safe - I first gave them to my son when he was about 2½ years old and he is now a very healthy 7½ year old.

The leaflet on ground cover plants that you read was written about 10 years ago and has not been revised since then. I do feel that the explanation on edibility should be expanded and will make sure that this is done in the near future. The entry for the plant in our database is more clear - I include excerpts from it below:-

The entry for known toxins reads as follows - "All parts of the plant contain hydrogen cyanide, a poison that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. This toxin is found mainly in the leaves and seed and is readily detected by its bitter taste. It is usually present in too small a quantity to do any harm but any very bitter seed or fruit should not be eaten. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death."

The entry for edibility reads as follows -

"Fruit - raw or cooked. Sweet and reasonably pleasant when fully ripe[65, 74, K]. The cultivar 'Camelliifolia' bears huge quantities of fruit[K]. This is the size of a large cherry and, when fully ripe, has a reasonable flavour raw with a jelly-like texture and a slight astringency[K]. Some sources suggest the fruit is poisonous, this probably refers to the unripe fruit[7]. We have eaten this fruit in quite large quantities without the slightest ill effects (this also includes a 2 year old child) and so any toxicity is of a very low order[K]. However, any fruit that is bitter should not be eaten in quantity because the bitterness is caused by the presence of the toxic compounds - see the notes above on toxicity. The fruit is about 8mm in diameter and contains one large seed[200]. Water distilled from the leaves is used as an almond flavouring[2, 46, 61, 183]. It should only be uses in small quantities, it is poisonous in large amounts[183]. Seed - raw or cooked. Do not eat the seed if it is too bitter - see the notes above on toxicity."

I hope this is of us to you. Please do not hesitate to get back in touch with me if you have further questions.

Ken Fern

Prunus laurocerasus

ali islam Wed Sep 15 13:05:02 2004

about cherry laurel dear colleague, I have seen and read cherry laurel on your web page. There are a lot of information on it about Laurocerasus officinalis such as systematic, edible uses, propagation, cultivars, .... I have studied on it and there are many cultivars in Turkey. It is widely spread out in the North-east part and has been growing for a long time. A paper "Kiraz cherry laurel" was published in The New Zealand journal crop and horticultural science. You can see it in the journal or web page. http://www.rsnz.govt.nz/publish/nzjchs/2002/037.php I tell you that your web site is very good and contains useful knowledge. I'm happy for it. In the 'known hazard' section, it was written 'All parts of the plant contain hydrogen cyanide, a poison that ...' This is not true. I think if you change this section in your database as 'some parts of the plant contain hydrogen cyanide such as leaves' it can be more clear and true. I agree with Ken Fern in this subject. I hope that this information is useful. Please do not hesitate to get back in touch with me if you have further information or question and comment.

Dr. Ali Islam Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture 52200-Ordu-Turkey Tel: +90 452 2300556 Fax: +90 452 2251261 E-mail: aislam@ktu.edu.tr or islamali@hotmail.com http://www.ziraat.ktu.edu.tr/bahce/aislam/curriculumvitae.htm

Prunus laurocerasus

Judith Maizel-Long Sun Sep 17 2006

Cherry laurels grow freely locally, in Wadhurst, a wooded rural area with a mild dry climate, on the Kent/Sussex border in southern England. The fruit is eaten by local foxes, whose droppings in September are full of the undigested seeds. My Staffordshire Bull Terrier bitch, who loves eating blackberries in season (she picks her own near ground level), has started eating fallen laurel cherries too in the last few weeks, with no observable ill effects as yet.

Prunus laurocerasus

Stuart Anderson & Gabrielle Sanders Mon Dec 11 2006

We are grubbing up a couple of huge laurel hedges prior to implementing a permaculture design in a small garden and, in accordance with permaculture principles, want to dispose of it all on site. We propose to chip it and use some chippings for paths and dispose of the rest by composting. Our concern is whether the poisonous attributes of the plant will present a problem by poisoning the soil as the chips decompose. Thanks for your informative site and we hope you can advise us.

Prunus laurocerasus

Tue Oct 2 2007

Andy Broadley Tues 2nd Oct 2007 I too hold the same concerns as Stuart and Gabrielle Sanders. I am currently Felling/removing this species and processing it on site in a wood. I have discouraged the landowner from burning it for health reasons that being side effects from smoke inhalation and also environmental reasons. Will soil contamination occur in the later stages of decomposition as with rhododendron preventing or delaying the establishment/natural regeneration of other species ? I'll watch this space.

Prunus laurocerasus

Fri Feb 29 2008

thank you

Prunus laurocerasus

Mike Sat Apr 4 2009

Can anyone tell me what depth the root system of Prunus laurocerasus grows to? i am wondering if I can plant this near a percolation area for my septic tank without the roots damaging my percolation area

Prunus laurocerasus

Zy Sun Aug 23 2009

Prunus laurocerasus 'Schipkaensis' is currently described in this article as ".. can be used for ground cover..." This statement is absurd, because the plant has an upright habit, which is described on other web pages as having a mature height ranging from 1.2 meters to 3 meters. Just yesterday I saw one for sale at a garden center that was approx 2 meters tall x less than 1 meter spread. Certainly 'Schipkaensis' is *not* a groundcover plant.

Horticulture Dept, Univ. of Connecticut

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