Plant Library

Other Names:  Sweet Bay, Bay Leaf

Description:

An attractive Bay Laurel in a small tree form, with leathery, glossy dark green leaves; may be pruned to maintain its shape and size; great as an entryway container plant or small landscape accent tree

Ornamental Features

Bay Laurel (tree form) has attractive green evergreen foliage on a tree with a distinctive lollipop-like form. The glossy oval leaves are highly ornamental and remain green throughout the winter. It features subtle chartreuse flowers at the ends of the branches from early to mid spring. It produces plum purple berries in early summer.

Landscape Attributes

Bay Laurel (tree form) is an evergreen tree, selected and trained to grow in a small tree-like form with the primary plant grafted high atop a standard. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and can be pruned at anytime. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Bay Laurel (tree form) is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Bay Laurel (tree form) will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more. This is a dioecious species, meaning that individual plants are either male or female. Only the females will produce fruit, and a male variety of the same species is required nearby as a pollinator.

This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings.

Bay Laurel (tree form) is a fine choice for the yard, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.