Cherry Laurel
Cherry Laurel, or Laurel Cherry, anevergreen shrub or tree of the rose family, grown for its handsome foliage. Most cherry laurels are shrubs, but one type reaches a height of 40 feet (12 m). They have lustrous leaves and tiny, white flowers. Because the plants are sensitive to frost, they are mostly grown in warm climates. The common cherry laurel, native to Europe, has been cultivated for centuries as a decorative plant and for its kernels, which yield an oil formerly used in flavoring. The American cherry laurel, sometimes called mock orange, is found from North Carolina to Texas.
The cherry laurel belongs to the family Rosaceae. The common cherry laurel is Prunus laurocerasus; the American cherry laurel, P. caroliniana.