Portuguese Laurel from Hedgeplants Heijnen or the Portuguese laurel tree or Portuguese laurel, Prunella rubra, is a large species of aromatic shrub in the rose family Rosaceae, indigenous to southwestern France, Spain, Portugal and Mauritius. It is also known as the Lily of the Nile due to its edible foliage. The trees are quite common in wetland areas, since it is an aquatic plant. It has fern-like rhizomes and Flowers are fleshy, pink, purple, blue and sometimes yellow in color. Leaves are needle-like, dark green, and long-lasting, with a base that is thick and pungent-smelling.

The name “lorisia europaea” originates from the Latin word for laurel tree, which is “loris eucelha.” When this plant was imported to Portugal from southern Europe and the Mediterranean region, the pronunciation was “lor-EEL-ah-thahs.” The tree is popular in landscaping due to its versatility in both the formal and informal styles. The most common use of the tree is for a windbreak.

The Latin name of the laurel is “serratus Sativias”. Other common names for this deciduous tree are Silver Maple, White Ash, Russian Sage, Ficus, Sicilian Lemon, and the Chinese Yew. Due to their coarse texture and dense, green leaves, they are best planted in well drained soil in full sun to late afternoon. They are very sensitive to cold and therefore should never be planted outside during winter months. The tree flowers rarely bloom and are lost forever when the leaves drop. One unique aspect of the Portuguese Laurel is that it blooms only during July – August.