Herbarium Specimen Details

Prunus caroliniana
Herbarium Rhodes College Herbarium (SWMT)
Herbarium's Specimen Details Page
Family Name Rosaceae
Currently Accepted Name Prunus caroliniana Aiton
Herbarium Name Used Prunus caroliniana
Locality United States. Tennessee, Shelby: Memphis, Overton Park, rear center of park next to dog park
Description An evergreen, ornamental and large hedge plant in southeastern North America, often escaping from cultivation. Carolina laurel cherry is a dense shrub or small tree, 15-36 ft. tall, with a pyramidal to oval outline. Leaves are firm, smooth, evergreen, narrowly elliptic, tapered to a pointed tip and equally tapered to the base. Margins are smooth on reproductive trees, with narrow, pointed teeth on saplings and root sprouts. Upper surface is dark green and shiny, the lower surface lighter and duller. Flowers are white to cream, about 3/16 inch wide, in showy elongate clusters among the leaves, opening from February to April. Fruit is fleshy, but with a thin pulp, black, 1/2 inch long by 3/8 inch wide, egg shaped with a small tip, and persistent through winter.
Habitat An evergreen, ornamental and large hedge plant in southeastern North America, often escaping from cultivation. Carolina laurel cherry is a dense shrub or small tree, 15-36 ft. tall, with a pyramidal to oval outline. Leaves are firm, smooth, evergreen, narrowly elliptic, tapered to a pointed tip and equally tapered to the base. Margins are smooth on reproductive trees, with narrow, pointed teeth on saplings and root sprouts. Upper surface is dark green and shiny, the lower surface lighter and duller. Flowers are white to cream, about 3/16 inch wide, in showy elongate clusters among the leaves, opening from February to April. Fruit is fleshy, but with a thin pulp, black, 1/2 inch long by 3/8 inch wide, egg shaped with a small tip, and persistent through winter.
Reproductive State
Specimen Notes
Collector A. DeGenova 18
Collection Date 24 February 2013
Accession Number SWMT05097
Plant Atlas Link Plant Atlas Citation