Prunus laurocerasus (Cherry Laurel)

This beautiful shrub can be grown as a single or multi-stemmed small tree or a large dense shrub; produces showy, fragrant, erect white spike flowers, black fruit and very shiny dark-green leaves, takes pruning very well

Cherry Laurel is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Cherry Laurel features showy racemes of fragrant white flowers rising above the foliage in mid spring. It has attractive dark green evergreen  foliage. The glossy pointy leaves are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. The fruits are showy black drupes displayed in mid summer.

Cherry Laurel will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.