Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Mediterranean
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
California bay leaf, Indian bay leaf or malabathrum, Indonesian bay leaf
-
Number of Varieties
13
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Forest edges, Hillside
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Pyramidal
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in summer, Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove shoots
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Asthma
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-allergy, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Headache, Muscle Pain, Pain killer
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
LAURUS nobilis
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Bay Laurel, Sweet Bay
River Birch
In Hindi
bay laurel
River Birch
In German
Lorbeer
Fluss Birch
In French
laurier
Birch river
In Spanish
laurel
river Birch
In Greek
δάφνη
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
louro
river Birch
In Polish
wawrzynu
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
sinus laurus
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Laurales
Fagales
Family
Lauraceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Laurus
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
33
1
27800
👆🏻