Scientific Name:
Prunus lusitanica
Pronunciation:
PROO-nus lus-ih-TAN-ih-kuh
Common Name:
Portugal laurel
Family Name:
Rosaceae
Plant Type:
Broadleaf evergreen, Invasive plant
Key ID Features:
Leaves alternate, elliptic-oblong, most blades 7-12cm long x 3-5cm wide, leathery glossy dark green, margin serrulate and wavy, petioles 1-2cm long, red (branchlets also usually red and helps to distinguish it from P. laurocerasus).
Habit:
Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
10 - 15m
Mature Spread:
10 - 15m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Europe
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 7: (-18 to -12 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Acidic, Well-drained
Water Use:
Low
Landscape Uses:
Hedge row, Screening
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Leathery, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Lustrous
Colour in Fall:
Green
Shapes:
Elliptic, Oblong
Apices:
Acuminate
Bases:
Attenuate
Margins:
Serrate, Undulate (wavy)
Inflorescence Type:
Raceme, Floriferous
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Rotate/stellate
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White
Flower Scent:
Fragrant
Flower Time at Peak:
May, Jun
Fruit Type:
Drupe
Fruit Colour:
Blue, Black
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Not showy
Bark Morphology:
Smooth
Bark or Stem Colour:
Dark Grey
Propagation:
Cuttings
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Blight or needle cast, Dieback, Fungal leaf spot, Leafhopper, Scale insects, Virus (Pest resistant, Disease resistant, Rabbit resistant)
