Prunus laurocerasus - Cherry laurel

Latin plant name Prunus laurocerasus Common plant name Cherry laurel Plant type Evergreen shrub Size (meters) < 2 m Distinguishing features It flowers in April, with white spiky florets growing along stems up to 10 cms long. These are followed by small black fruits. The fruits are poisonous for dogs. This is a very useful shrub for hedging and screening since it is dense and fast-growing. Although the common names of Prunus laurocerasus refer to the similarity of foliage and appearance to bay laurel (Laurus nobilis, the true laurel, in the Lauraceae family), the two plants are in fact unrelated, being not only in different genera but also different families.