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Carolina Laurel Cherry

Prunus caroliniana

Found in maritime forests and sandy hammocks in the Coastal Plain, escaped from cultivation to fencerows and suburban forests and thickets in more inland areas. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

99
Keystone

Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height
15–35 feet
Spread
15–20 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to wet

Space about 17.5 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Evergreen
Bloom
Spring
Fruiting season
May to November

Recorded in 43 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Maritime forests and thickets

Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.

Coastal Plain hammocks

Dense, evergreen groves of live oak, magnolia and other hardwoods in the southern Coastal Plain, from dry oak domes to wet hydric hammocks and south Florida's tropical hammocks; salt-shaped maritime hammocks are maritime forests.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 99 animals.

All wildlife of Alabama

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

273CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Prunus

Show all 273
  • Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
  • Acoloithus rectariusUpright Acoloithus Moth
  • Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
  • Acrobasis vacciniiCranberry Fruitworm
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
  • Acronicta clarescensClear Dagger
  • Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
  • Acronicta hastaSpeared Dagger, Cherry Dagger, Dart Dagger
  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
  • Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Acronicta radcliffeiRadcliffe's Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
  • Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
  • Agnippe prunifoliellaSkunk Twirler
  • Agnorisma badinodisPale-Banded Dart
  • Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
  • Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Amyelois transitellaNavel Orangeworm
  • Anacampsis innocuellaDark-Headed Aspen Leafroller Moth
  • Anatrachyntis badiaFlorida Pink Scavanger Caterpillar
  • Anatrachyntis rileyiPink Scavanger Caterpillar
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Ancylis burgessianaOak Leafroller
  • Anisota stigmaSpiny Oakworm Moth, Stigma Moth
  • Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
  • Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Apantesis naisNais Tiger Moth
  • Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
  • Archips rileyanaSouthern Ugly-Nest Caterpillar Moth
  • Argyresthia oreasellaCherry Shoot Borer
  • Argyrostrotis anilisShort-Lined Chocolate
  • Argyrotaenia juglandanaHickory Leafroller
  • Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
  • Artace cribrariusDot-Lined White Moth
  • Balsa malanaMany-Dotted Balsa, Many-Dotted Appleworm
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Bleptina caradrinalisBent-Winged Owlet, Variable Snout
  • Cabera variolariaPink-Striped Willow Spanworm Moth, Vestal Moth, The Vestal
  • Callophrys augustinusThe Brown Elfin
  • Callophrys henriciHenry's Elfin
  • Callosamia anguliferaTulip-Tree Silkmoth
  • Catocala clintoniiClinton's Underwing
  • Catocala crataegiHawthorne Underwing, Thorn Underwing
  • Catocala gryneaWoody Underwing
  • Catocala miraWonderful Underwing
  • Catocala pretiosaPrecious Underwing, Texarkana Underwing
  • Catocala ultroniaUltronia Underwing
  • Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
  • Cenopis directanaChokecherry Leafroller Moth
  • Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
  • Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
  • Cepphis decolorariaDark Scallop Moth
  • Cerastis tenebriferaReddish Speckled Dart
  • Ceratomia amyntorElm Sphinx
  • Cerma cerinthaTufted Bird-Dropping Moth, Cherry Agate
  • Cerma coraThe Agate
  • Chaetaglaea sericeaSilky Sallow
  • Chlorochlamys chloroleucariaBlackberry Looper Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
  • Cleora projectaProjecta Gray
  • Cleora sublunariaDouble-Lined Gray
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Coleophora laticornellaPecan Cigar Casebearer
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Cydia latiferreanaFilbertworm
  • Dasychira meridionalisSouthern Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira obliquataStreaked Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira tephraTephra Tussock Moth
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
  • Dyspteris abortivariaThe Bad-Wing, Badwing
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Egira alternansAlternate Woodling
  • Elasmopalpus lignosellaLesser Cornstalk Borer
  • Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
  • Ephestiodes infimellaReddish Ephestiodes
  • Episimus tyriusMaple Tip Borer
  • Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Euchlaena amoenariaDeep Yellow Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena deductariaForked Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena johnsonariaJohnson's Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena muzariaMuzaria Euchlaena
  • Euchlaena obtusariaObtuse Euchlaena
  • Eucirroedia pampinaScalloped Sallow
  • Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
  • Eulithis diversilineataLesser Grapevine Looper Moth
  • Eumacaria madopataBrown-Bordered Geometer
  • Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
  • Eupsilia cirripaleaFranclemont's Sallow
  • Eupsilia morrisoniMorrison's Sallow
  • Eupsilia vinulentaStraight-Toothed Sallow
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
  • Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm
  • Furcula borealisWhite Furcula
  • Glena cognatariaBlueberry Gray
  • Glena cribratariaDotted Gray
  • Grapholita packardiCherry Fruit Worm
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Haploa clymeneClymene Moth
  • Haploa colonaColona Moth
  • Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
  • Haploa reversaReversed Haploa
  • Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
  • Hedya separatanaPink-Washed Leafroller Moth
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Homorthodes furfurataNorthern Scurfy Quaker
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
  • Hypercompe scriboniaGiant Leopard Moth, Great Leopard Moth
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Idia aemulaCommon Idia
  • Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
  • Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
  • Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
  • Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
  • Isa textulaCrowned Slug
  • Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
  • Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
  • Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
  • Limenitis archippusViceroy
  • Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
  • Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
  • Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
  • Lithophane patefactaDiomorphic Pinion, Branded Pinion
  • Lithophane petulcaWanton Pinion
  • Lithophane querqueraShivering Pinion
  • Lithophane viridipallensPale Green Pinion
  • Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
  • Lomographa glomerariaGray Spring Moth
  • Lomographa semiclarataBluish Spring Moth, Wildcherry Looper
  • Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
  • Lycia ypsilonWoolly Gray
  • Macaria coortariaFour-Spotted Angle, Four-Spotted Granite
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Megalopyge pyxidiferaYellow Flannel Moth
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Metarranthis angulariaAngled Metarranthis
  • Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
  • Metarranthis obfirmariaYellow-Washed Metarranthis
  • Metaxaglaea australisSouthern Sallow
  • Metaxaglaea viaticaRoadside Sallow
  • Monoleuca semifasciaPin-Striped Vermilion Slug
  • Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Morrisonia evictaBicolored Woodgrain
  • Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
  • Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
  • Natada nasoniNason's Slug Moth
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Nemoria bistriariaTwo-Striped Emerald, Red-Fringed Emerald
  • Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
  • Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
  • Oiketicus abbotiiAbbot's Bagworm Moth
  • Olethreutes inornatanaInornate Olethreutes
  • Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthodes cynicaCynical Quaker, Cynical Groundcat
  • Orthosia alurinaGray Quaker
  • Orthosia garmaniGarman's Quaker
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
  • Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
  • Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Panopoda rufimargoRed-Lined Panopoda
  • Paonias astylusHuckleberry Sphinx
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Papilio troilusSpicebush Swallowtail
  • Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
  • Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
  • Pero ancetariaHubner's Pero
  • Pero honestariaHonest Pero
  • Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
  • Petrophora subaequariaLeaping Looper, Northern Petrophora
  • Phaeoura quernariaOak Beauty Moth
  • Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
  • Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
  • Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
  • Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
  • Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
  • Phyllonorycter propinquinellaCherry Blotch Leaf Miner
  • Plagodis fervidariaFervid Plagodis
  • Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
  • Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
  • Plagodis serinariaLemon Plagodis
  • Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
  • Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
  • Pococera aplastellaAspen Webworm Moth
  • Prionapteryx nebuliferaClouded Veneer Moth
  • Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
  • Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
  • Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
  • Rheumaptera prunivorataFerguson's Scallop Shell, Cherry Scallop Shell
  • Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
  • Satyrium titusCoral Hairstreak
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Scolecocampa liburnaDead-Wood Borer
  • Scopula inductataSoft-Lined Wave
  • Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
  • Sericaglaea signataVariable Sallow
  • Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Sphinx drupiferarumWild Cherry Sphinx
  • Sphinx kalmiaeFawn Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx
  • Spilosoma dubiaDubious Tiger Moth
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Sunira bicoloragoBicolored Sallow
  • Synanthedon exitiosaPeachtree Borer Moth, Western Peachtree Borer
  • Synanthedon pictipesLesser Peachtree Borer Moth
  • Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
  • Tortricidia flexuosaAbbreviated Button Slug Moth
  • Tortricidia pallidaRed-Cross Button Slug
  • Tortricidia testaceaEarly Button Slug
  • Tricholita signataSignate Quaker, Signate Groundcat
  • Utetheisa ornatrixOrnate Moth, Pink Underwing, Rattlebox Moth, Bella Moth
  • Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
  • Xylesthia pruniramiellaClemens' Bark Moth, Speckled Xylesthia
  • Xystopeplus rufagoRed-Winged Sallow
  • Zale calycanthataDouble-Banded Zale
  • Zale lunataLunate Zale
  • Zanclognatha marthaPine Barrens Zanclognatha, Pine Barrens Fan-Foot
  • Acleris placidana
  • Adoneta bicaudata
  • Astala confederata
  • Chionodes adamas
  • Eupithecia swettii
  • Xenotemna pallorana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
134BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Prunus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
1Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Prunus

  • Andrena melanochroa
Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
36BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Prunus

  • Bombycilla cedrorumCedar Waxwing
  • Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
  • Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
  • Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
  • Catharus fuscescensVeery
  • Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
  • Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
  • Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
Show all 36
  • Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
  • Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
  • Columba liviaRock Pigeon
  • Corvus brachyrhynchosAmerican Crow
  • Cyanocitta stelleriSteller's Jay
  • Euphagus cyanocephalusBrewer's Blackbird
  • Hylocichla mustelinaWood Thrush
  • Icterus bullockiiBullock's Oriole
  • Melanerpes erythrocephalusRed-headed Woodpecker
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
  • Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
  • Myadestes townsendiTownsend's Solitaire
  • Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
  • Pheucticus melanocephalusBlack-headed Grosbeak
  • Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
  • Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
  • Sialia mexicanaWestern Bluebird
  • Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
  • Sphyrapicus variusYellow-bellied Sapsucker
  • Sturnus vulgarisEuropean Starling
  • Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
  • Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
  • Vireo gilvusWarbling Vireo
  • Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
  • Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Rosaceae
Hardiness
Zones 7a–10b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
White
Fruit begins
May
Fruit ends
November

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

Alabama rankSNR
Global rankG5
AL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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