This large evergreen European shrub has been called "cherry laurel" or "laurel cherry". It is widely cultivated but not naturalized in eastern North America. Both P. laurocerasus and P. lusitanica L. ("Portugese laurel") differ from other species of subgenus Padus as follows (FNA 9, W): leaves evergreen or tardily deciduous (versus generally deciduous); entire or serrate with widely spaced prominent sharp teeth (versus regularly and rather finely toothed); petioles lacking two glands near junction with leaf blade (versus generally with two glands); racemes leafless at base (versus leafy). Despite its lack of glands on petioles, the evergreen caroliniana does have two dark glands on the lower leaf surface near the base. P. laurocerasus has several dark glands of this type near the base.