Bay Laurel

1/13/2023

Tomato sauce and bouquet garni wouldn’t be the same without bay leaves. But can we grow bay at home? Let’s find out.

Bay leaves (kropekk_pl) Pixabay

Bay leaves come from the bay laurel tree. Also known as sweet bay, true laurel, and Grecian laurel, these trees are not to be confused with California bay laurel or cherry laurel. We’ll learn more about them in a minute.

Bay laurels (Laurus nobilis) are evergreen shrubs or small trees native to the Mediterranean basin. Bay forests once covered that region. As humidity levels dropped and temperatures rose, the laurel forests retreated, and more drought-tolerant species moved in.

Uses for bay laurel

Bay leaves flavor more than your favorite spaghetti sauce. Bay leaves can add flavor to stocks, stews, and other savory dishes. Dried bay laurel berries are also spices, and burning the wood creates a unique smoke flavoring. But that’s not all.

In ancient times, high-status bay laurel wreaths donned the heads of Olympic athletes and political leaders. Laurel oil was said to treat bruises, ear aches, paralysis, rheumatism, and sciatica, but I think they took things a bit far. More recently, bay leaves have been applied as an astringent to treat small wounds. The oil is popular in massage and aroma therapies. It is an ingredient in Aleppo soap. The fragrance certainly is relaxing.

Bay laurel leaves and stems (Forest & Kim Starr) CC BY 3.0 us

.Bay laurel description

Many of us are familiar with smooth, lance-shaped bay leaves. They are shiny and dark green while fresh. Trees can grow more than 50 feet tall, but most people keep theirs pruned to heights of two to eight feet. These plants produce small, yellowish-green flowers. The fruit of bay laurel is a small, shiny purplish-black drupe.

Flowering bay laurel (Ανώνυμος Βικιπαιδιστής) CC BY-SA 3.0

How to grow bay laurel

Bay laurel plants can be grown from seed or cuttings. The easiest way is to buy a bare-root tree. These trees are dioecious, so some are male, and some are female. Since we mostly grow them for their leaves, this isn’t a problem. If you want berries, however, you’ll need one of each to get a crop.

These shrubs lend themselves very well to the home garden in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10. You can also grow them as containerized indoor plants. A 5-gallon pot is big enough. Bay laurel prefers full sun to light shade. If grown indoors, it will need lots of bright direct sunlight.

Bay laurel prefers slightly acidic soil with good drainage. These trees benefit from wind protection, so select a site with that in mind. You can use bay laurel as a topiary, shaping and twisting it to your heart’s delight.

Bay pests and diseases

Bay laurel trees protect themselves against most pests and diseases. Soft scale (Coccus hesperidum) and jumping plant lice (Trioza alacris) are two insect exceptions. Phytophthora root rot and leaf spot and shot hole disease make also occur.

Yellowing leaves on bay laurel often mean they need more nitrogen. A lab-based soil test is a good idea.

Other laurels

And what about those other laurels? It is not safe to assume they are all the same. Some of them are poisonous. And others can be a real headache.

American cherry laurel (homeredwardprice) CC BY 2.0

Here's a summary of those other laurels:

American cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana) is a favorite of caterpillars, songbirds, and other wildlife, but it can be toxic so don’t eat it. When crushed, the leaves and small twigs smell like almonds. Found in the U.S. southeast, a few specimens have escaped to California where they may become an invasive nightmare.
California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica), also known as Oregon myrtle, cinnamon bush, peppernut tree, and headache tree, is a coastal hardwood. This is one tree you do not want in your aromatherapy collection. Inhaling its vapors is said to “cause severe headaches crises”.
English cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) is not a type of laurel. Instead, it is an ornamental evergreen cherry.
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is more closely related to blueberry as a member of the Heath family, but it is very toxic. Even honey made from its flowers can make you sick. Also known as spoonwood and ivybush, these plants occur along the eastern U.S. seaboard.
Spotted laurel (Aucuba japonica) is a popular ornamental due to its ability to thrive in dry shade, but don’t eat it.