il rand taċ-ċirasa (Prunus laurocerasus) hija pjanta li tappartjeni għall-familja botanika ta Rosaceae. It is native to Asia and was introduced to Europe in the 16th century for ornamental purposes. It is a plant grown in public and private gardens, and after many centuries it is now to be considered a naturalized species in the area, even if with invasive characteristics.
L-isem speċifiku laurocerasus derives from the composition of the Latin names Laura= laurel and cérasus= cherry, which we can translate with the name of cherry with bay leaves. And it is precisely the botanical similarity with laurel (laurus nobilis) li dan Rosaċeja owes its fame, even if it is very different from each other. Just think that laurel is an aromatic plant, while cherry laurel is toxic in all its parts.
In this article, we introduce you to this shrub, its garden cultivation techniques and the risks associated with its toxicity and invasiveness.
Description of the cherry laurel
il Prunus laurocerasus it is an evergreen shrub that reaches an average height of 8 m. It can be grown as a small tree, in which case it reaches up to 15 m. It has a thick and compact crown, with a globular posture and an intense green color.
The stem is branched from the lower part and develops in a sinuous way. This makes the shrub a perfect plant for forming dense ornamental hedges.
In adult plants the bark is rough and dark brown in color.
Weraq
The leaves of the cherry laurel are inserted alternately on the branches and have a sturdy petiole (short and sometimes twisted). They are persistent, with a leathery consistency, of a lanceolate-obovate shape, with the maximum width reaching a little higher than the middle, while the apex is acute and the base is narrow wedge-shaped. The top page is dark green and shiny, while the bottom is lighter and opaque. The lower page also has oblique ribs that form a dense network, with the presence of yellowish glands at the base.
The leaves represent the most common element of confusion with the laurel. Be careful, therefore, because the glands of the leaves of the cherry laurel are toxic, as they contain ċjanur tal-idroġenusubstance that is released when they are bruised.
fjuri
The flowers are gathered in elongated racemes placed at the axil of the upper leaves. They have a calyx made up of 5 small teeth welded together at the base. The corolla, white in color, is made up of 5 free petals, with numerous stamens inside.
Flowering is copious and showy, it occurs in spring, between April and May.
Frott u żrieragħ
The fruits are ovoid drupes with a sharp apex, very similar to cherries or, better still, to black cherries. The diameter is about 1 cm, the surface is shiny, the color, at first red, then becomes black-purplish when fully ripe. The pulp contains a single roundish seed.
The fruits of cherry laurel are also toxic, again due to the high concentration of hydrogen cyanide.
Ornamental varieties of cherry laurel
The one just described is the type species of Prunus laurocerasus. However, being a species whose cultivation is very widespread, over time many cultivars have been developed by gardeners that differ in some botanical characteristics.
For example, we have the cherry laurel variety Otto Luken, which reaches a maximum of 1 m in height. The varieties with variegated colored foliage or particular shapes are also interesting, such as: Schipkaensis, Magnifolia u Etna. In short, if you want to grow this shrub in the garden you are spoiled for choice.
How to grow cherry laurel
Cherry laurel is known to be a hardy plant, despite being evergreen. In nature we find it in more or less dense formations, from sea level up to 1000 m of altitude. It therefore easily resists the winter cold. It is a fast-growing shrub that also tolerates drought. It can be grown in full sun, but it also adapts well to fully shaded areas. The ideal soil should be of the loose typewell drained, with a good supply of organic matter e pH newtrali. However, it does well even in more difficult soils, the important thing is to ensure good water drainage, for example by amending the soil, in the course of the last processing, before the final planting, sand and Fertilizzant organiku.
Reproduction of the cherry laurel by cutting
In addition to buying a seedling in the nursery, it is possible to start growing the cherry laurel by reproducing it from seed or with teknika tal-qtugħ.
The multiplication by cutting is simple and within everyone’s reach. The cutting, of semi-woody consistency, is taken in summer in the apical portion of one year old branches. It should therefore be shortened to about 10-15 cm and deprived of the lowest leaves.
It is then rooted in a container, using a mix of universal soil and perlit. Furthermore, to improve its engraftment percentages, the rooting hormones (found here), to be brushed at the base of the cutting itself before burying. The growing substrate must always be kept well moist, and the pot needs to be protected from the sun and wind.
It is advisable to use containers of 12-14 cm in diameter, as the cutting, once established, will be ready for final planting only in the autumn of the following year.
Tħawwil
The cherry laurel is planted in early spring or autumn. For the preparation of the implantation hole we advise you to follow the general rules on how to plant a tree. The transplant distance depends on the purpose of the cultivation. If you want to create a cherry laurel hedge we advise you to plant the young plants at about 1 m from each other. If, on the other hand, you want to grow isolated shrubs or even saplings, you need to keep greater distances, leaving 2-3 m of space.
irrigazzjoni
As mentioned, cherry laurel is a rustic plant that resists drought. However, in the first year after planting, it is advisable to ensure a regular supply of water, especially during a dry summer season. From the second year onwards, once the plant has developed an adequate root system, that is, it will be freed, it will be possible to do without irrigation.
Toxicity, invasiveness and pruning interventions
As mentioned, the leaves and fruits of the cherry laurel are toxic due to the presence of hydrogen cyanide. The toxicity is valid for humans and, in general, for mammals, but not for birds, which actually eat the berries and digest them, contributing decisively to the spread of the plant. Since this is very rustic, it tends to be invasive, supplanting or repressing the native tree and herbaceous species. To limit its invasiveness and spread, therefore, we intervene with pruning. The cuts are carried out in the summer, after flowering, so that the plant does not bear fruit, avoiding unnecessary risks of intoxication for children. Pruning also serves to keep the hedges in order or to harmonize the shape of the shrub.
Cherry laurel reacts well to pruning, so don’t be afraid to be too incisive.
Another intervention that is done to keep the plant in order is the periodic removal of the suckers.
Mard u parassiti
As for the diseases that affect cherry laurel, pay attention topowdery mildew (or sore white). In gardens prone to this fungal disease, it is recommended to do prevention by carrying out washing with water and sodium bicarbonate.
Among the parasites we have instead the metcalfa pruinosali tikkawża l-onset of smoking on the hair, to be cleaned with sapun tal-potassju artab.
Another parasite that affects the plant, in this case destroying it, is the Asian woodworm (Anoplophora chinensis)however, for now, limited only to the regions of Northern Italy and for which the compulsory struggle decree.
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