Prunus caroliniana (Carolina Cherry-laurel)

Description

Shiny leaved, native evergreen tree or large shrub. Can grow to 36′ tall but can easily be maintained as a 6′-15 tall shrub. Narrow in profile, it provides excellent screening without hogging space. It was once commonly used in hedge rows.  Provides shelter for birds and other small animals especially during cold weather.

Pollinators love it. It is covered with racemes of fragrant white flowers from February to April when few other natives are available. Butterlies, Native Bees, Honey Bees and Beneficial Insects like Syrphid Flies all love the flowers. The Xerces Society rates it especially valuable to Native Bees. It is the larval host of Numerous Butterflies including the Coral Hairstreak, Spring Azure, Summer Azure, Red Spotted Purple, Viceroy, Red Spotted Purple and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. It is also the Sole Larval Host of the Laurel Cherry Smoky Moth.

Many animals feast on the Blue-black Fruits which ripen in late winter and early spring when few other fruits are available. These include Songbirds, Quail, Turkey, Foxes, Raccoons, and Small Mammals.

Exremely tough. They tolerant dry, high-calcium soils, salt wind and occasional salt flooding. They are generally deer-resistant. Plant in average to dry, sandy, clayey or loamy soils in sun or part-shade. They are native to NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, AR, and TX. We propagated our plants from native populations in Beaufort Co., SC.

We are currently digging plants from beds and potting them up upon order. We ship them after plants are thoroughly hardened off. This may take up to 3 weeks after order. Thank you for your patience. Orders shipped in order of placement. Thank you for your patience.

To see more images. https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/species.php?id_plant=PRCA