Persea is a genus of about 200 species of evergreen trees that belonging to the Lauraceae (Laurel family). The most famous member of this genus is Persea americana known as avocado. The family Lauraceae was part of Gondwana land (Gondwana, ancient supercontinent that incorporated present day; South America, Africa, Arabia, Madagascar, India, Australia, and Antarctica. It was fully assembled by Late Precambrian time, some 600 million years ago, and the first stage of its breakup began in the Early Jurassic Period, about 180 million years ago) flora. According to fossil evidence, the genus originated in West Africa during the Paleocene, and spread to Asia, to South America, and to Europe. Fossils of Persea indica have been found at Kızılcahamam-Turkiye which is of early Pliocene age. Starting with the freezing of Antarctica about 20 million years ago at the Pleistocene, European glaciation caused the extinction of the genus across these regions, resulting in the present distribution. Laurisilva of Madeira is an outstanding relict of a previously widespread laurel forest type.

 Canary wood is endemic to Macaronesia; Azores, Madeira, and some of the Canary Islands (El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria). Since this habitat is constantly threatened by encroaching agriculture, it is a species exclusive to Laurisilva.

Persea indica is a big evergreen tree that can be up to 20 m tall in optimal conditions. The trunk is frequently surrounded by suckers at the base. The young branches are greenish at beginning than the bark turn to dark grey and cracked. The large leaves are simple, alternate, oblong, and slightly leathery. 2-3 cm long leaf stalks are usually yellowish in colour. The leaves are dark green on the upper side and somewhat paler on the underside. As they age, their colour changes to yellow, orange or reddish, which makes the tree, look attractive. Leaves are also aromatic and give off a pleasant aroma when crushed.

Canary wood blooms from March to August. The simple flowers are 1 cm in diameter; their six tiny petals are greenish white. Small individual flowers grouped into small clusters located at the ends of the twigs. The fleshy fruits are drupes, like small olives, about 2 cm in length, which contain a small single nut with a seed. When ripe, they change from green to purple or bluish black.

Persea indica is a tree of the untouched laurel forests. It prefers shady spots, although can withstand direct sunlight well. It is not tolerant of wind and requires deep, constantly moist soils. Propagation can be done either from seeds or from cuttings. Plant cannot tolerate under -7°C cold.

Use in Landscape: Canary wood is a handsome tree, can be kept as a shrub at gardens, in temperate or tropical climate regions. It is not a tree for Xeriscape landscape, as requires moist soil. The fragrant flowers are very attractive. Also ripe black fruits that look like olives are interested to people.Wikipedia list article

Two insecticidal containing diterpenes; ryanodol and cinnceylanol, were present in the plant’s extracts.