Laura tree

Bay tree

Laurus Nobilis; Poet's laurel; Roman laurel; True laurel; Victor's laurel

• 
  Most light conditions
• 
  Almost unkillable
• 
  Evergreen

• Laura tree likes...
  • 
    Most light conditions

    She’ll do very well in a sunny position but she’ll also tolerate some shade for part of the day.

  • 
    Regular watering

    She likes her soil gently moist. In hot summers she'll like very frequent watering. She needs less in winter.

  • 
    Feeding

    Help her grow strong and healthy by giving her a feed with some liquid fertiliser once per month in spring and summer.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Laurus nobilis

  Nickname

  Bay tree

  Plant type

  Outdoor evergreen

  Plant height (including pot)

  Bay trees: 90-100cm; 130-140cm; 150-160cm

  Pet/Baby safe?

  Mildly toxic to dogs and cats

  Nursery pot size

  Bay trees: 21cm; 25cm; 25cm

• About Bay trees

  The bay tree, or bay laurel, has been a beloved plant for centuries. The ancient Greeks and the ancient Romans considered it quite the status symbol. Wreaths of bay laurel were worn on the heads of the most important members of society and given as prizes in sporting competitions. Bay was a plant for champions.

  You don’t see a lot of people wearing it on their heads these days, but the bay tree is as popular as ever. It’s an evergreen, which means it will look good on your patio or balcony all year round, and it’s very easy to look after. It will love a sunny spot, though will be happy with a mix of sun and shade.

  It likes gentle watering, so just give it a drink when the top two inches of soil feel dry. Don’t be tempted to water it too heavily as it won’t like soggy soil. Equally, don’t let it dry out completely. Your plant will arrive in a nursery pot (the plastic pot it’s been growing in). There’s no need to remove it from this. Just place the whole thing inside a decorative pot.

  One of the best things about bay is that you can pick off its leaves and use them in cooking. A bay leaf added to pasta sauce or stew will add subtle warm flavour. A leaf picked fresh off your plant will have much more flavour than any from the supermarket.

  Did you know?

  It’s not just the leaves that are used in cooking. Dried bay berries and bay oil are also used in cuisines around the world.