PlantFiles: Sweet Bay
Laurus nobilis

I have had two bay trees. One was planted in full Central Arizona sunlight (temperatures up to 125) and it burned and died. The other was planted where it received morning light and afternoon shade and is kept well watered. It is doing extremely well and contributes its leaves to our annual Christmas day prime rib dinner and other favorite dishes throughout the year.

Sweet bay also makes a good house plant and seems adaptable to bonsai. My best friend has had a sweet bay growing in her living room for over 5 years now. I don't know how big it was when she planted it but it is currently about 5-6 feet. For most of the year it gets bright, diffuse sunlight through the bay window but in summer she moves it out to her front step where it gets dappled shade.

Not quite a year ago now I also bought a bay seedling in a four inch pot and have been trying to adapt it to bonsai culture. It is still too young to be considered a true bonsai and I can't garuntee success as the tree ages but so far it has been healthy and unphased by the stresses of pruning and root binding. It does grow extremely slowly this way though and has definitely been a good excercise in patience.

This is our second year with our tree. We received it bareroot from One Green World. It is doing very well and is growing slowly, but steadily here 25 miles west of Portland Oregon at 600'. It is heavy clay soil with ammendment and receives water about twice a week during dry weather. It wintered well here. I believe our low this year was in the high 20's F. Didn't phase it a bit.

I have two of these potted as summer patio trees here in Northern KY (Cincinnati metro area). Im always envious when I see one of these magnificant plants growing outside in milder climates.

Someone should start selecting for increased cold hardiness...they would make a fortune off a cold tolerant selection as friends and family are always begging me to prune my trees so they can have a few leaves. I just wish I could grow them year-round in the ground in my part of Z6a.

I had one of these on a sandy hill in Colington, Kill Devil Hills, NC (Zone 8a). It grew very large and flavored many meals. I would recommend this shrub/herb to anyone who cooks. Any cheap chicken in a dutch oven w/a bay leaf and a couple spices will make you look like a super-chef in front of all your friends.

I planted it in a well prepared bed and watered regularly when first planted. Once it was well established, it required very little maintenance. This shrub/tree was dear to me like an old and close friend. We were unable to bring it with us when we moved, and it was very sad...

Laurus nobilis doesn't produce seeds in this area and I was unsuccessful in propagating from cuttings.

I'm looking for another one, but all I've found are very small ones suitable for topiary. I prefer one that's more shrubby and ready for cooking.

My 3 year old bay tree is about 8 feet tall. Nice evergreen. Likes full sun but can tolerate some shade. Not too demanding water wise. Great winter interest since it is the only tree in my front yard that is evergreen. I keep a small jar of dried leaves on hand, but generally pick a fresh leaf or too and put it in pot right after picking. Dried leaves are also nice in potpouri and for craft projects.

I have a Sweet bay tree that is now 25 feet tall. It was a rather slow grower at the start, but now it grows fairly fast. I use the leaves in cooking and also dry some of them to give to my friends for their cooking.
The tree looks beautiful and evergreen.

My plant is still sort of small, but seems to like it where its planted. Will post updates as it develops. It is now about 3 ft high and was planted as a little 4 " potted plant.

We had a plant, about 4ft tall, that we needed to move as a new path was to go over its location. We only had one day to do it,if we were to get adequate roots,between the old path coming up and the new one going in. In the way of these things it ended up occurring on the hottest day of the Summer-well over 100 degrees. The new site hadn't been prepared as the work was rescheduled at very short notice. We got it up and into shade as fast as we could. Dug a hole and filled it several times with water before planting. I then pruned off all the new soft growth of the year to reduce stress. I watered it daily for the rest of that Summer and it survived. It grew very little the following Spring but has gone from strength to strength since. If it can survive moving on a day like that I'd reccommend the attempt any time.

One of my herb books says dried leaves are best as the drying process increases the oil content of the leaves several times over.

The Bay leaf can be successfully grown in zone 7a in texas, and it becomes a 10' tree.zone 7b is better but this part of Texas is about to be reclassified as b soon, we believe. You definitely want to remove it from your dish before serving. We really enjoy using this tree in our landscape jobs.

Bay trees are notoriously difficult to over-winter in cold climates; withholding water in late summer and early autumn helps to induce semi-dormancy.

Bay lends itself to topiary, and the cut portions can be dried for later use.

An evergreen tree or shrub from the Mediterranean.

Has glossy, dark green, ovate, scented leaves with a strong mid rib and wavy margins. The bark is smooth and olive green or reddish. Bears green/yellow flowers followed by small, black, egg shaped berries on the female trees.

Flowers March-April

Likes moist, well drained, fertile soil in sun or light shade. Needs a sheltered position from wind and hard frosts.

A must have tree for anyone who has aspirations, it was worn by great men in ancient times be they poets, sports men, soldiers (after a battle was won) or the Emperor of Rome himself.

The Bay leaves are, now, more commonly used as a culinary addition to meats, fish, stews, soups an essential herb in Bouquet Garni, flavour vinegar and curiously milk puddings, the leaves are always removed before serving the dish. Bay leaves are best used freshly picked (and washed). This is the only Laurel species safe to use in cookery.

Bay is NOT a plant to play with, it has narcotic and emetic properties in large doses.

The Bay tree has been used in the past to treat a good many things. It is important to note that almost all the medicines were for external use only. Various concoctions were used to treat fits, ague, plagues (many and various), muscle sprains, earache and hysteria among other things. Nowadays, it is ONLY used in massage oil to relieve muscle sprains and rheumatic pains in the joints.

Bay was also thought to be an enemy of witchcraft and a protection against lightning.

Leaves were strewn ont he floors of rich people, an ingredient in perfume and aftershave, and was also an ingredient in Bay Rum, an alcoholic beverage.