Side by side
Bay laurel or cherry laurel? How to tell them apart
Laurus nobilis · Prunus laurocerasus
You can tell a bay laurel by its narrow, leathery leaf with a wavy edge that smells of the kitchen when crushed; a cherry laurel has a much larger, glossy leaf of 10–20 cm with small glands at the base, which smells of bitter almonds and is poisonous.
Crush a leaf and smell it: that is the safest test. True bay smells of cooking straight away, cherry laurel of bitter almonds. The cherry laurel leaf is also much larger and a lighter green, and it flowers in upright white spikes.
| Bay laurel | Cherry laurel | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, 5–10 cm, narrowly oval, untoothed with a wavy edge, dark green and leathery; gives off a strong, herby scent as soon as it is crushed. | Alternate, evergreen, leathery and glossy light green, 10–20 cm, edge smooth or shallowly toothed. A few small glands underneath near the base. |
| Flowering | Small, yellowish-white flowers in clusters in April; separate male and female plants (March–April). | Upright spikes of small white flowers in April–May (April–May). |
| Fruit | Glossy black berries (1 cm) on female plants. | Glossy black little cherries; seeds and leaves are poisonous. |
| Bark | Smooth, dark grey to greenish. | Grey-brown and smooth. |
| Shape and height | Shrub, 2–8 m | Shrub, 3–8 m, usually a shrub or hedge |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal | Sun to shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, an invasive alien species |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees | Little |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Yes, take care with children and pets |
| Pruning months | May–June and August | May–June and August–September |
The best feature in each season
- Spring
- The bay laurel flowers in April with small clusters of yellowish-white flowers; the cherry laurel in April–May with upright spikes of small white flowers.
- Summer
- The leaf remains the best feature: 5–10 cm, narrow, dark green and wavy on the bay laurel; 10–20 cm, broad and glossy light green on the cherry laurel.
- Autumn
- Both carry small black berries: the bay laurel only on female plants, the cherry laurel glossy black cherries in spikes. Eat neither.
- Winter
- Both are evergreen. The bay laurel is less hardy and can be killed back in severe winters, from about −12 °C; the cherry laurel stays green everywhere.
Where do they grow?
The bay laurel comes from the Mediterranean and grows here in gardens and pots, preferably in a sheltered spot. The cherry laurel comes from south-eastern Europe and Asia Minor; it is a popular hedge that birds spread into woodland, where it smothers native plants.
Which one for your garden?
- In the kitchen, only use leaves of the true bay, and if in doubt, crush a leaf. Cherry laurel leaves and seeds release cyanide and are poisonous to people and animals: keep children, chickens and livestock away from the shrub and its clippings.
- The cherry laurel is an invasive non-native species that seeds itself into woodland: better not to plant it, and for an evergreen hedge choose native holly or yew. If you already have a cherry laurel hedge, clip it after flowering, before the berries ripen.
Did you know? The name cherry laurel is misleading: it is not a laurel but a Prunus, related to cherries and plums, which is why it carries little cherries.
Read on
- Plant profile: Bay laurel
- Plant profile: Cherry laurel
- Bay laurel: when and how to prune
- Cherry laurel: when and how to prune
- Identification key: the question that separates them
Also looks like
- Bay laurel or bay willow
- Spotted laurel or cherry laurel
- Camellia or cherry laurel
- Photinia or cherry laurel
- Holly or cherry laurel
- Cherry laurel or oleaster
- Cherry laurel or leatherleaf viburnum
- Cherry laurel or rhododendron