Prunus lusitanica
Portuguese laurel
Portugal, Spain, Canary Islands
Prunus lusitanica leaf. From An Illustrated Manual of Pacific Coast Trees, Howard E. McMinn & Evelyn Maino
Portuguese laurel is a tidy small tree that can be seen in campus homes. Several are near the Mausoleum on the left and behind; around Wilbur Hall; and one is in the Kennedy Grove on the end toward Tresidder Union, where it flowers beautifully in April–May.
A fine old example was in the southwest corner of the Roble Gym courtyard, removed probably during the 2014–2016 renovation.
Illustrations: inflorescence, flower & fruit.
About this Entry: The main text of this entry is from the book Trees of Stanford and Environs, by Ronald Bracewell, published 2005. Roble specimen removal noted Aug 2019 (SP).
