The reproductive biology of the neophyte Prunus laurocerasus in Central Europe

Abstract

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is a very popular garden plant and has been widely reported as a garden escape, for example, in Central Europe. We recorded flower visitors and consumers of fruits and conducted pollination experiments to improve our understanding of the degree of ecological integration of P. laurocerasus in the newly colonized range in Central Europe. We observed a range of different flower visitors, especially bees and syrphid flies. Bee visitation rates decreased with increasing canopy cover, whereas fly visitation rates were independent of canopy cover. Prunus laurocerasus is reported as outcrossing in its native range, but we could demonstrate that the plant is facultatively selfing in our study area. Open pollination led to abundant fruit set, and fruit consumption by common blackbirds was observed. Overall, our study documents that the reproductive ecology of P. laurocerasus is well adapted to the conditions (e.g., pollinators, seed dispersers) of the newly colonized range in central Europe and underlines the invasive potential of the species.