Description
Laurus – Laurel –
There are 2 species of evergreen shrubs and trees in this genus. They occur from woodland, scrub, and rocky places in the Azores, the Canary Islands, and the Mediterranean. They are grown for their aromatic, alternate, ovate, glossy, dark green leaves. Small, greenish yellow or yellow male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. Where not hardy, grow in a container and move inside during winter and early spring. In warmer areas, grow as specimen trees, in a woodland garden, against a warm, sunny wall, or as a windbreak. They are excellent as a topiary, since they tolerate clipping well.
Grow in fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or partial shade, sheltered from cold, drying winds. Tolerant of coastal conditions.
Prone to scale insects, mealybugs, powdery mildew, and anthracnose.
L. nobilis – Bay Laurel – Bay Tree – Sweet Bay – True Laurel – This broadly conical tree or large shrub from the Mediterranean grows 10-50′ feet tall and 30′ feet wide. It produces aromatic, glossy, narrowly ovate, slightly wavy edged leaves, to 4″ long. In late spring to early summer it bears clusters of star shaped greenish yellow flowers, 1/4″ across, followed on female plants by broadly egg shaped green berries that ripen to dark purplish black, to ½” long. Leaves are often used as flavoring in cooking. Contact with foliage may aggravate skin allergies.
Zones 8-11
