Kentucky Plant Atlas




Cultivated    No county information
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Rosaceae <Amygdaleae> Prunus <Padus> caroliniana
Prunus caroliniana (Mill.) Ait.
ALI: no HAB: n/a, n/a, n/a, n/a ABU: n/a, n/a, 0
This southern evergreen (a tetraploid with 2n = 32) occurs mostly on the southeastern Coastal Plain. It is occasionally cultivated in Ky., becoming vigorous and resprouting in old gardens (e.g in FAYE at residence of JC), However, establishment of seedlings is unknown. This species is sometimes confused with the polyploids P. lusitanica L (2n = 64). of the western Mediterranean, and P. laurocerasus L. of the Caucasian region (2n = 176), which have both been widely cultivated in North America for ornamental use but naturalize only in Pacific regions (K). These American and European plants have all been called "cherry laurel" or "laurel cherry"; and P. lusitanica Walter is an old synonym of caroliniana. See notes under laurocerasus for differences.