Hello, I have a tree by the side of my house in the Sacramento, California area that I would like to identify. It stays green year round here and has small green berries at this time of year. It's about 15 to 20 feet tall. Can't quite remember what the flowers look like, maybe white or greenish-white? Pictures are below. Thanks!
That was my first thought, but it isn't - the mystery tree's fruit doesn't have the pedicel that Umbellularia (and other Lauraceae species) has. Compare these pics: http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_flora_sci&enlarge=0000+0000+0901+0086 http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_flora_sci&enlarge=8120+3181+4565+0054
Thank you Ron B & Tony R! I think you got it! I went to this web site after your ID: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Prunuca.htm Then I cut open one of the berries to find that it does have a single large seed and a distinctive almond smell. I was curious about this plant because my 3 year old son was picking the berries off it. I thought I should find out what it was and now I'm very glad I did. I had no idea I had such a poisonous plant around the house. I'm going to be very careful next time to make sure he stays away from that tree. Thanks so much, you guys are true life savers! -Jim O
Much shorter fruit spikes than in the closely related Prunus laurocerasus and P. lusitanica commonly planted over here, guess that's why I didn't recognise it. Yes, poisonous, but not really dangerous - the toxins in them (cyanogenic glycosides) are so incredibly bitter that no-one would be tempted to swallow it. And you'd need to swallow quite a lot to get a dangerous dose.
Hot climate plant not seen very often even here in mild PNW USDA 8, where quantities of California grown nursery stock are sold. http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/PlantThumbsAv?SearchView&Query=prunus++AND+caroliniana&Count=10
