Laurel (Bay, Grecian Laurel, Sweet Bay, or Willow-Leaved Bay)
Laurus nobilis (LAURACEAE)
Planting and Growing Laurel trees
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow laurel, bay, Grecian laurel, sweet bay, or willow-leaved bay trees in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and berries of laurel (bay, Grecian laurel, sweet bay, or willow-leaved bay)
- Growing conditions for laurel (bay, Grecian laurel, sweet bay, or willow-leaved bay)
- When to plant laurel (bay, Grecian laurel, sweet bay, or willow-leaved bay)
- How to plant laurel (bay, Grecian laurel, sweet bay, or willow-leaved bay)
- How to prune laurel (bay, Grecian laurel, sweet bay, or willow-leaved bay)
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of laurel (bay, Grecian laurel, sweet bay, or willow-leaved bay)
- Landscape uses of laurel (bay, Grecian laurel, sweet bay, or willow-leaved bay)
- Pest and disease control for laurel (bay, Grecian laurel, sweet bay, or willow-leaved bay)
Growing Laurel Trees
A few cultivars of slow-growing, long-lived, erect, columnar, dense, evergreen trees, 15–40 ft. (4.5–12 m) tall, with shiny, leathery, deep green, oval, pointed, finely toothed, fragrant leaves, 2–4 in. (50–100 mm) long, with lighter, gray green undersides.
Laurel Planting and Care Guide
Flowers and Fruit
Insignificant cream, white, yellow flowers, to 1/4 in. (6 mm) wide, borne in clusters, in spring, form black, purple, round berries, to 3/4 in. (19 mm) wide, in summer.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 7–10. Semi-hardy. Best in dry-summer, mild-winter climates.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist to damp, well-drained humus. Fertility: Average. 6.5–8.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full to filtered sun. Space 7–10 ft. (2.2–3 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep moist; allow soil surface to dry between waterings. Drought tolerant. Fertilize annually in spring. Prune to harvest leaves, shape, remove suckers. Propagate by cuttings, seed.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, containers, hedges in arid, seaside gardens. Good as culinary herb. Drops flowers, requiring maintenance. Disease resistant. Laurel psyllid, scale susceptible.