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What is the laurustinus plant?
Characteristics of laurustinus (Viburnum tinus)
Common name: laurustine, laurestine, laurustinus
Scientific name: Viburnum tinus
Habitat: In forests, shady places and widely cultivated as an ornamental. We find this plant in Mediterranean forests, accompanied by rosemary, holm oak, pine, strawberry tree, kermes oak and white rockrose.
Description of laurustinus
Perennial shrub of the Caprifoliaceae family, up to 7 m tall. What stands out most about this shrub is its dense foliage, which makes it ideal in gardening to be used as a physical barrier.
Its leaves are opposite, entire, ovate, hard, sessile, glabrous on the upper side, slightly hairy on the underside.
The flowers are grouped in corymbs up to 9 cm in diameter. It blooms from March to June.
Berry-shaped fruit, bluish black with a single seed inside. It is a toxic wild fruit.
Active principles of laurustinus
- Viburbine: complex of glucosides and resin with a very bitter taste.
- Tannins
Active parts: The fruits
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