Cherry Laurel is an introduced shrub which is found quite commonly throughout Ireland with the exception of Counties Donegal, Sligo and Mayo. It grows up to 10 metres high, is found in woodland and along roadways where it forms dense thickets. Its flowers are 6-8mm across with well-separated, white petals, a dark-cream centre with prominent stigma and a circle of stamens. They are borne in elongated, erect racemes on upright woody stems, green in the first year. The evergreen leaves are dark green, shiny, leathery, oblong and have small teeth. It is quite an invasive shrub and it contains cyanide. It belongs to the Rose family.
I first recorded and photographed this in 2012 in the Glen of the Downs, Co Wicklow where it is extremely prolific.
If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre
