Cherry laurel, planted for a long time as an ornamental shrub, actually hides many pitfalls and dangers behind its beauty - both for animals and for humans. This is why its proliferation is strongly opposed.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
THEcherry laurel, planted for a long time as an ornamental shrub, behind its beauty it actually hides many pitfalls and dangers - both for animals and for humans. This is why its proliferation is strongly opposed.
THEcherry laurel (scientific name Prunus laurocerasus) is a wonderful tree, the height of which can reach five meters, with long glossy and oval-shaped leaves and very white fragrant flowers, and produces black berries very similar to cherries. It grows well in the shade and in cool places, and has good resistance to cold and humidity and is therefore widely used for making dividing bushes and other examples of botanical architecture in the city.
Read: These ornamental plants are toxic: they can cause erythema and intestinal disorders
The tree owes its common name to the combination of some of its characteristics: on the one hand, the glossy and oval-shaped leaves that resemble those of the laurel, on the other hand the small and dark fruits that resemble cherries (but which are not edible). It is native to Turkey and was imported from there as an ornamental plant. But the NABU (the German league for the protection of nature) raises the alarm about its presence.
In the past there has been a real invasion of these shrubs which, together with rhododendrons (another exotic plant), have taken away the place of native plants - reports the environmentalist of NABU, Sonke Hofmann. - But that's not all: with the disappearance of native plants, the natural habitat for insects and birds has also disappeared. In fact, if at the least the birds can find some shelter among the leaves of the cherry laurel, certainly the plant does not provide them with nourishment.
In short, those who grow a cherry laurel in the garden of their house show that they have no idea of the effect that this plant can have on the surrounding ecosystem. First of all, this plant has a growth that is often difficult to control: it must be regularly pruned, otherwise it proliferates quickly and reaches disproportionate dimensions. Being a toxic plant, eating even just a few leaves or a few berries exposes you to the risk of severe poisoning: the fruits seem sweet and tasty in appearance and are often collected and eaten by unwary children, who end up poisoned by the toxic substances present inside them.
Much worse, however, is the effect on nature, because in many wild areas this exotic plant has progressively supplanted native natural species, thus destroying biodiversity: the bad habit, now prohibited by law, of abandoning shrubs in wild areas has led to the excessive spread of the cherry laurel: being a poisonous plant, it should not be surprising if its leaves have not attracted the attention of the small animals that could have contributed to their decomposition.
Whoever plants a cherry laurel tree commits a crime against nature - continues theenvironmentalist without compromise. - A reinforced concrete wall makes a greater contribution from an ecological point of view: in fact, over time at least lichens and moss grow on it, which can represent an important link in the food chain.
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Fonte: Naturschutzbund Deutschland
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