Editorial Reviews:
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Sweet Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) - 5 seeds
Bay laurel is a pyramid-shaped tree or large shrub with aromatic, evergreen leaves and shiny gray bark. It can reach 60' in height in its native range, but generally is much smaller (3-10' tall) in culture. The leaves are elliptic, 3-4" long, rather thick and leathery, and shiny dark green. Clusters of small yellow flowers are produced in spring, followed, on the female plants, by shiny black or purple berries about 1/2" long.
Location: Bay laurel is native to the southern Mediterranean region. It is grown commercially for its aromatic leaves in Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, and Mexico.
Culture
Light: Bay laurel grows best in partial shade. Moisture: Water when dry. Bay laurel thrives with frequent watering in rich, well-drained soil. Hardiness: USDA Zones 8 - 10.
Bay Laurel makes an excellent house plant in room temperatures ranging between 40ð and 75ð, if it gets at least four hours of bright light a day, or 12 hours of strong artificial light. Keep the soil moist in spring and moderately dry the rest of the year; good drainage is essential. It can be set outside during the summer and brought inside during the winter.
The popular culinary seasoning, bay leaf, is used extensively in French, Italian, Spanish and Creole cooking. It flavors soups, stews, shellfish boils, pickling brines, sauces, marinades, and poultry and fish dishes. French chefs place bay leaves, parsley and thyme in a little bundle called a bouquet garni that is removed after cooking. Pick bay leaves early in the day and dry quickly under weight so they won't curl. Store in an air-tight jar.
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