Prunus lusitanica
Portugal cherrylaurel
Notes:
Invasive in Oregon, but not so listed for any state east of the Rockies. PHS claims cold hardiness all the way to USDA zone 4, which is the only reason I'm even considering it (as Dirr, AHS, Cal Poly, and NCSU only claim hardiness to zone 7).
Plum fragrance.
Resistant to shot hole, unlike P. laurocerasus, and more tolerant of heat and drought and resistant to leafspot than that species.
Leaves, seeds, and stems are poisonous to humans, cats, dogs, and horses.
Sources: Dirr, NCSU, Cal Poly, Dirr/Warren.
Tags:
attracts:bees
attracts:birds (ex-humming)
attracts:butterflies
attracts:larval host
clay tolerant
dense canopy
drought tolerant
easy to grow
exposure:full sun
exposure:part shade
fire risk low
form:shrub
form:tree
fragrant flowers
habit:rounded
habit:spreading/wide
persistence:evergreen
PHS Gold Medal Award
poisonous
pollution tolerant
roots:low damage potential
sandy soil tolerant
showy flowers
type:broadleaf
use:hedge
use:screen
water:ample
water:regular
well-drained soil required
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