- Author: Elvira Bautista DeLeon
I am so glad I do not have to buy culinary herbs anymore - not with the high prices of vegetables and herbs in the supermarket these days!
The first garden herb I planted was a Bay Laurel tree in a one-gallon container I bought at the Solano County Fair in the late 80's. I went to the Fair on the last day since that was when all the plants displayed during the Fair were sold to the public.
I didn't know much about gardening at that time, but I knew I wanted to buy the plant especially after I smelled its aromatic leaves. The plant's leaves were shiny and hardy. The smell of the leaves brought back memories of my Ima's (mom in Tagalog) chicken adobo and beef steak dishes in the old country.
I followed the instructions which came with the herb and planted the little bay laurel in our backyard where it received full sunlight. My husband watered it faithfully until it started growing and the rest is history.
Today, my Bay Laurel is a grown tree - about 9 feet tall until I had it pruned to 6 or so feet by Ken, (he maintains our yard except he doesn't pull weeds; I still have to do the weeding; sigh!). I had him prune the tree to remove some stems and suckers on the tree base and some branches inside to allow more sunlight to get into the tree.
Last December, I gathered a lot of Bay Laurel leaf stems and brought them to the Christmas wreath workshop I taught at the Vallejo People's Garden. The guests loved the smell of the leaves as they wove the young bay leaf stems around the wreath frames along with other greens. I told the attendees they could leave the bay laurel stems on the wreath for use in cooking their favorite dishes. They were quite happy about that!
Now that I am more confident with my knowledge of pruning and training shrubs and fruit trees, I will be doing my own pruning henceforth.
I have some other herbs growing in my backyard but since the spotlight is on my Bay Laurel tree, here's some historical information about this tree of antiquity:
This handsome Mediterranean species is the true laurel of the ancient times. A garland of Sweet Bay branches was worn by conquerors and poets, and symbolized triumph and accomplishment. Ancient Greeks wove its branches into wreaths to crown their heroes. Its cultivation in Europe and Britain dates to the early 1500's and it maintained its association with ancient Roman superstition and mystery well into the seventeenth century.
Description:
Bay Laurel is an evergreen tree or shrub in the laurel family native to the Mediterranean area. It is a wonderful aromatic shrub or tree that is extremely versatile in the garden. The aromatic leaves are used in cooking soups, pasta sauces, fish, chicken and beef dishes and pickles. It has separate male and female plants with only the female ones producing the berry-like drupes. It tolerates a variety of well-drained soil types in full sun to partial shade. It needs to be brought indoors in the winter in areas colder than zone 8b to prevent frost damage.
Bay Laurel can be used as a small tree in an herb garden, or plant several of them for a screen or a privacy hedge. It can also be pruned into a topiary.
Bay Laurel grows well in the following regions in California: Central Valley, Desert, North and Central Coast and South Coast.
Attributes:
Genus:Laurus
Species: nobilis
Family: Lauraceae
Common Name(s):
Bay Laurel, Bay Leaf Tree
Bay Tree, Grecian Laurel, True Laurel
Laurel Tree, Sweet Bay, Tree Laurel.
Plant Type: Shrubs / Trees
Evergreen-Deciduous: Evergreen
Overall Mature Size: Medium
Also Grown As: Bush / Column / Standard Tree
Mature Height & Spread: 15-60' x 15-35'
Natural Habit:
Oval. Bay Laurel has a rounded or columnar shape with branches covered in leathery deep-green leaves 4-5 inches long. It grows slowly but has been used as a hedge or as a topiary.
Native To: Europe
Exposure: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Water: Medium Water
Ideal soil condition: Rich, moist well-drained soil.
Bloom /Flowering Time: Spring; inconspicuous, yellow flowers; rarely flowers in containers
Special Features: Desert Conditions / Drought Resistant / Edible / Fragrant / Hedge / Screen / Seacoast Conditions / Shade Tolerant
Sunset Garden Zones: 5-9, 12-24
Growing Guidelines:
You can take cuttings from fresh green shoots in the fall and keep the soil moist (rooting may take three to nine months). In warm climates, sow seeds outdoors; germination may take six to twelve months longer. Bay laurel grows well in pots if moved indoors during frosty spells; it can survive moderate frost in the garden. Trim away roots from large potted plants and add compost to stimulate new growth. My bay laurel has survived frosty spells during all these years.
I have given away a lot of stem cuttings to friends to plant. I have also taken some leaf branches to a local shelter in town where I volunteer as a kitchen helper.
Care and Harvest:
Leaves can be harvested as needed when branches are a few feet long. It is good to pluck from the inside and underside to avoid bare spots. You can prune the tree to control the size if needed (I did!). If you the find the leaves covered with a black sooty mold, wash the leaves before using.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Scale and/or whiteflies are occasional pests. This plant is susceptible to laurel wilt, Phytophthora, and root rot. So far I have not had any pest issues with my bay laurel. (knock on [bay laurel] wood!).
If you don't have the Bay Laurel tree in your backyard yet, wait no longer. It's a win-win garden and kitchen pantry staple keeper!
References:
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/laurus-nobilis/
Sterman, N.2007.California Gardener's Guide.Franklin,TN:Cool Springs Press
Brenzel, K.N.2012.The New Sunset Western Garden Book,New York,NY.Time Home Entertainment Inc.
Burnie, G.Reprinted 2001.The Little Guides Herbs.San Francisco,CA.Fog City Press