What is "cherry laurel"

Laurel \Lau"rel\, n. [OE. lorel, laurer, lorer, OF. lorier, laurier, F. laurier, (assumed) LL. Laurarius, fr. L. laurus.]

1. (Bot.) An evergreen shrub, of the genus Laurus ( Laurus nobilis), having aromatic leaves of a lanceolate shape, with clusters of small, yellowish white flowers in their axils; -- called also sweet bay.

   Note: The fruit is a purple berry. It is found about the Mediterranean, and was early used by the ancient Greeks to crown the victor in the games of Apollo. At a later period, academic honors were indicated by a crown of laurel, with the fruit. The leaves and tree yield an aromatic oil, used to flavor the bay water of commerce.

   Note: The name is extended to other plants which in some respect resemble the true laurel. See Phrases, below.

2. A crown of laurel; hence, honor; distinction; fame; -- especially in the plural; as, to win laurels.

3. An English gold coin made in 1619, and so called because the king's head on it was crowned with laurel.

   Laurel water, water distilled from the fresh leaves of the cherry laurel, and containing prussic acid and other products carried over in the process.

   American laurel, or Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia; called also calico bush. See under Mountain.

   California laurel, Umbellularia Californica.

   Cherry laurel (in England called laurel). See under Cherry.

   Great laurel, the rosebay ( Rhododendron maximum).

   Ground laurel, trailing arbutus.

   New Zealand laurel, the Laurelia Nov[ae] Zelandi[ae].

   Portugal laurel, the Prunus Lusitanica.

   Rose laurel, the oleander. See Oleander.

   Sheep laurel, a poisonous shrub, Kalmia angustifolia, smaller than the mountain laurel, and with smaller and redder flowers.

   Spurge laurel, Daphne Laureola.

   West Indian laurel, Prunus occidentalis.

Cherry \Cher"ry\ (ch[e^]r"r[y^]), n. [OE. chery, for cherys, fr. F. cerise (cf. AS. cyrs cherry), fr. LL. ceresia, fr. L. cerasus Cherry tree, Gr. keraso`s, perh. fr. ke`ras horn, from the hardness of the wood.]

1. (Bot.) A tree or shrub of the genus Prunus (Which also includes the plum) bearing a fleshy drupe with a bony stone;

   1. The common garden cherry ( Prunus Cerasus), of which several hundred varieties are cultivated for the fruit, some of which are, the begarreau, blackheart, black Tartarian, oxheart, morelle or morello, May-duke (corrupted from M['e]doc in France).

   2. The wild cherry; as, Prunus serotina (wild black cherry), valued for its timber; Prunus Virginiana (choke cherry), an American shrub which bears astringent fruit; Prunus avium and Prunus Padus, European trees (bird cherry).

2. The fruit of the cherry tree, a drupe of various colors and flavors.

3. The timber of the cherry tree, esp. of the black cherry, used in cabinetmaking, etc.

4. A peculiar shade of red, like that of a cherry. Barbadoes cherry. See under Barbadoes. Cherry bird (Zo["o]l.), an American bird; the cedar bird; -- so called from its fondness for cherries. Cherry bounce, cherry brandy and sugar. Cherry brandy, brandy in which cherries have been steeped. Cherry laurel (Bot.), an evergreen shrub ( Prunus Lauro-cerasus) common in shrubberies, the poisonous leaves of which have a flavor like that of bitter almonds. Cherry pepper (Bot.), a species of Capsicum ( Capsicum cerasiforme), with small, scarlet, intensely piquant cherry-shaped fruit. Cherry pit.

   1. A child's play, in which cherries are thrown into a hole.
      --Shak.

   2. A cherry stone.

      Cherry rum, rum in which cherries have been steeped.

      Cherry sucker (Zo["o]l.), the European spotted flycatcher ( Musicapa grisola); -- called also cherry chopper cherry snipe.

      Cherry tree, a tree that bears cherries.

      Ground cherry, Winter cherry, See Alkekengi.

n. (taxlink Prunus laurocerasus species noshow=1), an evergreen shrub, native to regions bordering the Black Sea in southwestern Asia.

1. n. frequently cultivated Eurasian evergreen shrub or small tree having showy clusters of white flowers and glossy foliage and yielding oil similar to bitter almond oil [syn: laurel cherry, Prunus laurocerasus]

2. small flowering evergreen tree of southern United States [syn: laurel cherry, mock orange, wild orange, Prunus caroliniana]

Cherry laurel is a common name for evergreen cherries in the subgenus Laurocerasus, some of which are cultivated as ornamentals

Cherry laurel may refer to

• Prunus caroliniana, native to the Southeastern United States and widely cultivated
• Prunus laurocerasus, native to Southwestern Asia and Southeastern Europe and widely cultivated