Prunus laurocerasus L. - syn.Laurocerasus officinalis M.Roem. - Rosaceae \\
cherry laurel, Versailles laurel, **Kirschlorbeer**, Lorbeerkirsche

Evergreen shrub or tree; up to 6(-10)m high, native to Southeast Europe and adjacent Asia (from Bulgaria to noerthern Iran), cultivated as ornamental or for its fruits (Turkey), naturalized and regarded as weed in some places (Europe, New Zealand); leaves alternate, leathery; inflorescence a erect axillary or terminal raceme; flowers small, white, fragrant; fruit dark purple, fleshy, about 1cm across, resembling a cherry, 1-seeded. \\
[[http://www.unics.uni-hannover.de/Geobotanik/Steckbrief-Prunus-laurocerasus.pdf]]

"Cherry laurel is consumed fresh or dried, in jam and marmalade, canned or pickled. Cherry laurel is used for food additives such as flavouring... Before maturity fruits are astringent, but become aromatic and suitable for fresh consumption with advancing maturity. Skin is smooth, thin, and glossy. Flesh is juicy and clear pink or cream white. Total soluble solids content was 15.4 °Brix, pH 4.8, and titratable acid content 0.23%." \\
[Ali İslam (2002) ‘Kiraz’ cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) , New Zealand
Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 30:4, 301-302, DOI: 10.1080/01140671.2002.9514227] \\
[[http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/01140671.2002.9514227]] 

Main compounds found in the odor concentrate from the flowers were benzaldehyde (cherry note) and 2-aminoacetophenone (anthranilate note). Large amounts of lilac aldehydes and alcohols and of C-8 oxidized linalool derivatives like 8-oxolinalool, 8-hydroxylinalool, and 6,7-dihydro-8-hydroxylinalool were also found. \\ 
[Surburg et al., Volatile compounds from Flowers, in: Teranishi, R.;Buttery, R. G.;Sugisawa, H. Bioactive volatile compounds from plants. (Book) 1993, 182]

In the //flower scent// of P.laurocerasus, both linalool isomers (R 45%, S 55%) are present in nearly equal amounts, beside that (5'S)-configured lilac aldehyde stereoisomers. \\
[Linalool and lilac aldehyde/alcohol in flower scents: Electrophysiological detection of lilac aldehyde stereoisomers by a moth., Dötterl, S., Burkhardt, D., Weißbecker, B., Jürgens, A., Schütz, S., Mosandl, A., Journal of Chromatography A, Vol.1113(1), 2006, 231-238]

Main compound identified in essential oil (hydro-distillation) of P.laurocerasus var.serbica //leaves// was benzaldehyde (99.7%). Two other components were (E)-2-hexenal and (Z)-ocimenone. \\
[Kinetics of Hydrodistillation and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil from Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L. var. serbica Pančić) Leaves., Stanisavljević, I.T., Lazić, M.L., Veljković, V.B., Stojičević, S.S., Veličković, D.T., Ristić, M.S., Journal of Essential Oil Research, Vol.22(6), 2010, 564-567]

{{:prunus_laurocerasus.jpg|}} \\
Köhler, F.E., Medizinal Pflanzen, vol.2, t.143 (1890) \\
[[http://plantgenera.org/species.php?id_species=1265833]]


{{http://www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at/Bilder/Lumix_80/P1130470.JPG}} \\
Prunus laurocerasus fruiting \\ © Rolf Marschner (2016),  
[[http://www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=4524| www.botanische-spaziergaenge.at]]