Common name: Cherry laurel
Scientific name: Prunus laurocerasus
Hazard associated: Leaves, fruit and seed are toxic if ingested.
- Children may be attracted to the berries which change from green to red to black.
- Used for landscaping purposes e.g. hedges, street trees as it is a hardy, attractive plant
- May become an invasive weed in parts of Australia.
- Leaves are sometimes mistaken for Bay leaves (Laurus nobilis) which has led to cases of poisoning.
- The leaves and seeds contain cyanogenic glycoside and amygdalin hence having the “typical almond smell” of cyanide when macerated. It is even dangerous to shred clippings from this plant.
Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_laurocerasus
Image credits:
“Prunus laurocerasus fruit detail – geograph.org.uk – 567699” by Evelyn Simak. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunus_laurocerasus_fruit_detail_-_geograph.org.uk_-_567699.jpg#/media/File:Prunus_laurocerasus_fruit_detail_-_geograph.org.uk_-_567699.jpg