Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
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
-
Habitat
Forest edges, Hillside
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-11
4-9
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
Flower Color
Yellow green
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
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
-
Leaf Shape
Linear
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
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 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
-
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
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
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
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
Family
Lauraceae
Betulaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Bay Laurel and River Birch
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Bay Laurel and River Birch. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Bay Laurel and River Birch as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Bay Laurel is anti-allergy, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Headache, Muscle Pain and Pain killer whereas of River Birch is . Bay Laurel has beauty benefits as follows: while River Birch has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Bay Laurel vs River Birch
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Bay Laurel vs River Birch and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Bay Laurel are Asthma whereas of River Birch have Asthma respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Bay Laurel has showy fruits and River Birch has no showy fruits. Also Bay Laurel is not flowering and River Birch is not flowering . You can compare Bay Laurel and River Birch facts and facts of other plants too.