Prunus caroliniana

Prunus caroliniana, the Carolina cherry laurel, is a fast, dense broadleaf evergreen native to the coastal plain of the southeastern United States, from North Carolina to Texas. The glossy, deep green, finely toothed leaves and tight, upright habit make the tree one of the South's most useful evergreen screens, and the crushed foliage carries the sharp almond, maraschino-cherry scent that marks the genus.

In late winter and early spring the branches carry dense, upright racemes of small, creamy-white, lightly fragrant flowers, a welcome early nectar source for bees. Small black cherries follow through summer and fall, relished by mockingbirds, cedar waxwings, and other songbirds, which spread the seed freely, so volunteer seedlings are common where birds perch.

As an evergreen the Carolina cherry laurel makes a superb tall hedge, screen, or windbreak, and takes well to being limbed up into a handsome small specimen tree with smooth gray bark. One caution belongs with the praise: the leaves, twigs, and seeds contain cyanogenic compounds and are poisonous to people and livestock if eaten in quantity, so site away from pastures and keep the clippings out of reach of grazing animals.

Grow the tree in full sun to part shade and well-drained, acid soil, and expect heat, drought, and salt to be taken in stride once established. Shear for a formal hedge or leave loose for an informal screen, remove basal suckers to hold a single trunk, and pair with other Southern broadleaf evergreens where fast, dependable, deer-resistant cover is wanted.