Prunus lusitanica
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64403f64b2906965157280 |
| Scientific name | Prunus lusitanica |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 473 (1753) |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
The principal commercial product of Prunus lusitanica is the live shrub, sold by nurseries as 1–3‑year‑old rooted cuttings or container‑grown specimens. Plants are marketed for their dense, glossy, evergreen foliage, making them suitable for hedging, privacy screens, and topiary. The species tolerates regular pruning, retains foliage through winter, and is well adapted to Mediterranean climates, enhancing its ornamental value.
Industrial and craft applications:
The shrub is produced on a commercial scale by horticultural nurseries to supply the landscaping industry. It is employed in large‑scale urban greening programs, private garden designs, and craft horticulture for shaping into formal topiary, clipped hedges, and ornamental knots. Its dense branching habit and tolerance to pruning make it a low‑maintenance option that reduces labor costs in landscape projects.
Properties relevant to use:
The evergreen leaves are leathery and retain chlorophyll throughout the year, providing continuous visual screening. The wood has a moderate density (≈0.7 g cm⁻³) typical of Rosaceae, with a high lignin‑cellulose ratio that confers durability for structural garden features. Leaf tissue contains condensed tannins (≈10 % of dry weight) and phenolic compounds quantified in phytochemical analyses, indicating potential for future leather‑tanning applications. The shrub shows moderate drought tolerance once established and responds well to repeated pruning, allowing controlled growth forms.
Standards and regulation:
There are no dedicated ISO, ASTM or EN standards for timber, leaf extracts or ornamental stock of P. lusitanica. Nursery trade is governed by the EU Plant Health Directive (EU 2016/2031) and national phytosanitary certification schemes, which require disease‑free propagation material and proper labeling. The species is not listed under CITES, and its wood is not subject to timber‑trade regulations such as the EU Timber Regulation. Any future commercial extraction of leaf tannins would need to comply with the EU REACH framework.
Sustainability and sourcing:
The IUCN Red List categorizes P. lusitanica as Least Concern, indicating a widespread and stable wild population across its native southwestern European range. Commercial supply is based entirely on cultivated nursery stock; wild harvesting for ornamental use is uncommon. Propagation is typically by semi‑hardwood cuttings taken in summer, which root under mist in controlled environments, reducing pressure on wild populations. Sustainable horticultural practices include using certified disease‑free mother plants, adherence to local nursery certification standards, and avoiding invasive propagation methods. In large‑scale urban greening, recommendations include mixing with native species to maintain ecological balance.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Laurocerasus lusitanica | (L.) M.Roem. | Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 3: 92 (1847) |
| Cerasus lusitanica | (L.) Loisel. | Trait‚ des arbres et arbustes que l'on cultive en France ; 1800 5 1809 |
| Cerasus hixa | C.Sm. ex Spach | Hist. Nat. Vég. 1: 419 (1834) |
| Prunus hixa | Brouss. ex Willd. | Enum. Pl. Hort. Berol. 1: 517 (1809) |
| Laurocerasus hixa | (Brouss. ex Willd.) M.Roem. | Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 3: 92 (1847) |
| Laurocerasus multiglandulosa | (Cav.) M.Roem. | Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 3: 92 (1847) |
| Prunus multiglandulosa | Cav. | Anales Ci. Nat. 3: 59 (1801) |
| Padus eglandulosa | Moench | Methodus : 672 (1794) |
| Padus lusitanica | Mill. | Gard. Dict. ed. 8 : Padus n.º 5 (1768) |
| Prunus sempervirens | Salisb. | Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton : 356 (1796) |
| Laurocerasus lusitanica subsp. hixa | (Brouss. ex Willd.) G.Kunkel | ; 1972 74 1972 |
| Cerasus lusitanica | (L.) Dum.Cours. | Bot. Cult. 3: 389. 1802 |
| Cerasus lusitanica var. hixa | (Brouss. ex Willd.) Ser. | Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis ; 1823 540 1825 |
| Lauro-cerasus multiglandulosa | M.Roem. | Fam. Nat. Syn. Monogr. 3: 92 (1847) |
| Cerasus hixa | (Brouss. ex Willd.) Webb & Berthel. | Histoire naturelle des Iles Canaries ; 1835 19 1842 |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | portugal laurel |
| Spanish | loro |
| Spanish | azarera |
| Spanish | azarero |
| Spanish | laurocerasus lusitanica subsp. hixa |
| Spanish | padus lusitanica |
| Spanish | cornicalera |
| Spanish | prunus hixa |
| Spanish | prunus sempervirens |
| Spanish | laurocerasus lusitanica |
| Spanish | cerasus lusitanica |
| Spanish | palo del loro |
| Spanish | palo de loro |
| Spanish | lauroceraso de portugal |
| Spanish | lauro de portugal |
| Spanish | laurel de portugal |
| Arabic | كرز الغار البرتغالي |
| Arabic | خوخ برتغالي |
| Bulgarian | португалска лавровишня |
| Welsh | coeden lawrgeirios portiwgal |
| Danish | portugisisk laurbær-kirsebær |
| Danish | portugisisk laurbærkirsebær |
| German | portugiesischer kirschlorbeer |
| Basque | portugal erramu |
| Basque | portugalgo erramu |
| Basque | portugaleko erramu |
| French | cerasus lusitanica |
| French | laurocerasus lusitanica |
| French | laurier du portugal |
| French | laurier-cerise du portugal |
| French | laurier cerise du portugal |
| Irish | labhras portaingéalach |
| Galician | acereiro |
| Japanese | ポルトガルゲッケイジュ |
| Norwegian Bokmål | portugalhegg |
| Portuguese | loureiro-de-portugal |
| Portuguese | ginjeira-brava |
| Portuguese | gingeira-brava |
| Portuguese | azereiro |
| Russian | Лавровишня португальская |
| Slovenian | portugalski lovorikovec |
| Vietnamese | cerasus lusitanica |
| Chinese | 葡萄牙桂樱 |
| Chinese | 葡萄牙桂櫻 |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Prunus lusitanica subsp. azorica | (Mouill.) Franco | Bol. Soc. Portug. Ci. Nat. 25: 82 (1965) |
| Prunus lusitanica subsp. hixa | (Brouss. ex Willd.) Franco | Bol. Soc. Portug. Ci. Nat. 25: 81 (1965) |
| Prunus lusitanica subsp. lusitanica | Unknown |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Azores
- Canary Islands
- Madeira
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Northern Africa
- Morocco
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Macaronesia
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Australasia click to expand
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Australia
- New South Wales
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Australia
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Europe click to expand
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Northern Europe
- Great Britain
- Ireland
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Southwestern Europe
- France
- Portugal
- Spain
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Northern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Northwestern U.S.A.
- Oregon
- Washington
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Southwestern U.S.A.
- California
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Western Canada
- British Columbia
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Northwestern U.S.A.
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000998700 |
| Canadensys | 29975 |
| USDA Plants | PRLU |
| Tropicos | 27801104 |
| INPN | 116093 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:324746-2 |
| The Plant List | rjp-287 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 176177 |
| Observations.org | 132648 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 194545 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000003421 |
| Nature Serve | 2.134739 |
| IUCN Red List | 62857 |
| IPNI | 324746-2 |
| iNaturalist | 127529 |
| GBIF | 3020871 |
| Freebase | /m/02v_ss7 |
| EPPO | PRNLU |
| EOL | 640257 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 9394 |
| USDA GRIN | 30029 |
| Wikipedia | Prunus_lusitanica |
| CMAUP | NPO26453 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
| Title | Authors | Publication | Released | IDs | ||||||
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| Commodity risk assessment of Tilia cordata and Tilia platyphyllos plants from the UK | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 03-May-2024 |
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| Evidence for Reductions in Physical and Chemical Plant Defense Traits in Island Flora | Freedman MG, Long RW, Ramírez SR, Strauss SY | Plants (Basel) | 03-Apr-2024 |
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| Overview of Ethnobotanical–Pharmacological Studies Carried Out on Medicinal Plants from the Serra da Estrela Natural Park: Focus on Their Antidiabetic Potential | Lahlou RA, Carvalho F, Pereira MJ, Lopes J, Silva LR | Pharmaceutics | 25-Mar-2024 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of Ligustrum ovalifolium and Ligustrum vulgare plants from the UK | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Civera AV, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 07-Mar-2024 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of Corylus avellana plants from the UK | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Civera AV, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 12-Jan-2024 |
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| Friedelin: Structure, Biosynthesis, Extraction, and Its Potential Health Impact | Singh SK, Shrivastava S, Mishra AK, Kumar D, Pandey VK, Srivastava P, Pradhan B, Behera BC, Bahuguna A, Baek KH | Molecules | 24-Nov-2023 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of Quercus petraea plants from the UK | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Iacopetti G, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 30-Oct-2023 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of Quercus robur plants from the UK | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Iacopetti G, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 30-Oct-2023 |
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| Biomechanics of cutting: sharpness, wear sensitivity and the scaling of cutting forces in leaf-cutter ant mandibles | Püffel F, Walthaus OK, Kang V, Labonte D | Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci | 16-Oct-2023 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of Fagus sylvatica plants from the UK | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Gardi C, Iacopetti G, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 28-Jul-2023 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of Acer pseudoplatanus plants from the UK | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Gardi C, Iacopetti G, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 06-Jul-2023 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of Acer platanoides plants from the UK | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Gardi C, Iacopetti G, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 06-Jul-2023 |
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| Commodity risk assessment of Acer palmatum plants from the UK | Bragard C, Baptista P, Chatzivassiliou E, Di Serio F, Jaques Miret JA, Justesen AF, MacLeod A, Magnusson CS, Milonas P, Navas‐Cortes JA, Parnell S, Potting R, Reignault PL, Stefani E, Thulke H, Van der Werf W, Vicent Civera A, Yuen J, Zappalà L, Battisti A, Mas H, Rigling D, Faccoli M, Gardi C, Iacopetti G, Mikulová A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Stergulc F, Streissl F, Gonthier P | EFSA J | 06-Jul-2023 |
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| Molecular Characterization of Prunus lusitanica L. Fruit Extracts and Their Health-Promoting Potential in Inflammation, Diabetes, and Neurodegenerative Diseases | Abraão A, Martins-Gomes C, Domínguez-Perles R, Barros A, Silva AM | Int J Mol Sci | 16-May-2023 |
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| Differences in the Diets of Female and Male Red Deer: The Meaning for Sexual Segregation | Garcia F, Alves da Silva A, Ruckstuhl K, Neuhaus P, Coelho C, Wang M, Sousa JP, Alves J | Biology (Basel) | 31-Mar-2023 |
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |