Bay laurel is the evergreen tree that gives us the bay leaves used in cooking, and the "true laurel" the ancient Greeks made into victors' crowns. Native to the Mediterranean, bay laurel grows slowly and is a popular garden and container plant in the US.
Appearance
- Growth form
- Usually a dense, pyramid-shaped tree or large shrub 20–40 ft (6–12 m) tall, often with several stems from the base. It is slow-growing and easy to keep pruned to 8 ft (2.5 m) or less.
- Leaves
- Stiff, glossy, dark green leaves about 1.5–4 in (4–10 cm) long, often with a wavy edge. They smell spicy when crushed.
- Flowers
- Small, yellowish green flowers appear in spring in little clusters where the leaves meet the stem. Male and female flowers grow on separate trees.
- Fruit
- Female trees that get pollinated bear shiny, purple-black, one-seeded berries about 1/2 in (1 cm) long.
Look-alikes
California bayUmbellularia californica
California bay leaves are usually narrower, lack the wavy edge, and have a much sharper, camphor-like smell. Its flowers have both male and female parts, and its fruit is larger, about 3/4–1 in (2–2.5 cm), like a tiny avocado.
Why they get mixed upBoth are aromatic evergreen trees called "bay laurel," and California bay is native to California and Oregon.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Gardens
- Patios and containers
- Parks
- Range
- Native to the Mediterranean region, where only small remnants of its natural laurel forests survive. In the US it is planted as an ornamental and kitchen herb, outdoors in mild-winter areas (USDA zones 8–10) and in pots elsewhere.
- Preferred conditions
- Hardy outdoors in USDA zones 8–10; in colder areas it is grown in a container and brought indoors for the winter. Likes good drainage and tolerates many soils.
Growing it
- Care
- A classic and container plant. 'Saratoga' is a male selection that does not set fruit; California growers sell it as more resistant to laurel psyllid, an insect that damages bay laurel.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- In Greek myth the nymph Daphne turned into a laurel to escape Apollo, who then made laurel his sacred tree. Laurel wreaths were awarded at the Pythian Games and later stood for victory in Rome.
- The words "baccalaureate" and "poet laureate" both trace back to the laurel.
- Cooks add whole leaves to soups and stews and take them out before serving.
More species to explore
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