Cherry Laurel
Prunus carolinianaCherry Laurel is a small tree native to Central Texas that grows 15–20 ft tall and 15 ft wide. It wants full sun or part shade and medium water, and handles clay soil. Blooms white in Feb–Apr. Evergreen — it holds its leaves through winter. Good for birds.
Toxic — livestock, pets. Cyanogenic foliage — a documented cattle and horse killer across the Southeast. Wilted leaves are the most dangerous.
Will it grow in your yard?
Enter your ZIP. The finder checks Cherry Laurel against your microclimate, then ranks it against your sun, your watering and deer pressure.
From our guide
Village of the HillsDense evergreen with glossy dark leaves, fragrant white flower spikes and black fruit.
Why it works here
The fastest evergreen screen available here and it takes shearing well.
Watch out
Seeds everywhere — volunteer seedlings will appear across the yard for years. Foliage is toxic to livestock. Can be short-lived in poor drainage.
The facts
8 sources- Type
- Small tree
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade (3+ hrs)
- Water
- Medium
- Height
- 15–20 ft
- Spread
- 15 ft
- Bloom
- Feb–Apr · white
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Soil
- Takes clay · recorded on clay, deep, loam, moist, rich, sand, well drained
- Deer
- Moderate — deer may browse it, especially new growth. Established plants are fine; new growth within reach gets nipped.
- Wildlife
- Supports birds
Where it grows
Recorded in these EPA Level IV ecoregions in the Austin and Hill Country launch area:
679 occurrence records in Central Texas (GBIF).
Can you buy it?
Sold at local nurseries. Confirmed in stock at a Central Texas grower in these sizes:
also grows from seed It starts readily from seed, so a packet from a native-seed supplier, or seed collected with permission, is often the easiest way to get a plant no nursery pots.