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Could you tell me what is the name of this plant? Found in the park in London, in the middle of July.

Fruits ripen from green through red to dark color. Glossy, thick and hard leaves Smooth surface of bark

Shige
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    If you live in the UK, its commonly known as cherry laurel here. Note the berries are toxic if consumed,as is the rest of this plant. – Bamboo Jul 20 '17 at 10:39

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This is the Common or English Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), a species of cherry. It's not a true laurel, but got the name from the similarity of its leaves with those of the Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis). Identifying characteristics are the waxy long oblong leaves, the gray smooth bark, and the clusters of fruits ripening from pale green through red to black. It flowers in late spring, with spikes of fragrant small white flowers.

It's a large fast-growing, evergreen shrub, that is used as for hedging and privacy screens. The seeds are spread by birds that eat the fruit, and it can become invasive because it grows quickly and shades other plants.

Niall C.
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