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The cherry laurel - nontoxic or dangerous?
Unfortunately, cherry laurel is not one of the non-toxic hedge plants. Only the flesh of the dark purple berries contains no toxins and is considered a tasty delicacy in the Turkish homeland of laurel cherry. All other parts of the plant are poisonous.
Unpleasant taste of the leaves
Nevertheless, the cherry laurel is not dangerous for humans. The foliage tastes unpleasantly bitter due to the contained glycosides and is therefore usually spit out immediately by children who accidentally nibble on it.
The kernels of the berries contain relatively large amounts of the blue-acid-containing substance. In order for the toxins to be released, the small stones must be bitten while eating the fruits. Swallow the stones without chewing, the pleasure remains without significant consequences.
Tips & Tricks
To prevent poisoning, you can remove the umbels after flowering so that the cherry laurel bears no fruit in the fall.