Prunus lusitanica 'Angustifolia' (evergreen)

Prunus lusitanica , also known as Portuguese bay cherry or Portuguese laurel, is a species of flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae, native to the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco, the Macaronesian archipelagos and the French Basque Country.

It is an evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow up to 3–8 m tall (although it can reach 15–20 m in cultivation). The bark is smooth and dark gray. The leaves are alternate, oval, 7-15 cm long and 3-5 cm wide, with an acute tip and serrated margin, glossy dark green above and lighter below.

The flowers are white, fragrant, arranged in racemes. The fruits are black drupes, 1 cm in diameter, inedible.

Prunus lusitanica is a popular choice for those who want to form dense hedges - the plant is malleable and can be kept at a certain height by pruning, while at the same time branching abundantly.