Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Daphne laureola

Family

Thymelaeaceae

Flowering season

January to April

English distribution

It is most common in the South, the Southeast, East Anglia

and the southern half of the Midlands. It is scattered

elsewhere, but is least common in parts of the Northwest

and the far Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map for Spurge-laurel

Habitat

It grows in deciduous woodland, shrubland and in old

hedgerows, mainly on clay or lime.

It is tolerant of shade.

It is both introduced and native, but the two types are

difficult to tell apart.  

Description

Spurge-laurel is a native, evergreen shrub, growing

up to 1.5m.

The flowers are in clusters below an arc of leaves.

Individual flowers are up to 5mm across, with 4 yellow

green sepals and no petals.

There are 4 stamens with yellow anthers.

The stigma is large, short and capitate.

The fruit is a green berry turning black.

Leaves are dark green, glossy, oval to lanceolate,

and up to 12cm.

The stem is slightly branched and most of the leaves

are at the top of the branches.