Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
South Africa
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Cherry laurel, California Bay Laurel, Spotted laurel
Number of Varieties
73
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-115-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
9-6
Sunset Zone
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
365.76 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
182.88 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Yellow green, Tan, Silver
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green, Yellow green, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Oval
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
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Grafting, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
Do Not over Water, occasional watering once established
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Prune for shortening long shoots, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Beetles, Fusarium wilt, Rust, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Wet Site
Drought, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
allergic conjunctivitis, Nausea, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
For treating wrinkles, Hair Conditioner, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Febrifuge, Laxative, Odontalgic, Ophthalmic, Tonic
Acne, Cancer, Diarrhea, Emollient, Migraines, Oral health, treating poison ivy
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Inner Bark, Root, Wood
Flowers, Leaf Stalks, Stem
Other Uses
Used for woodware
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Florist trade and landscaping, Making Perfumes, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Foundation, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BERZELIA lanuginosa
Laurus nobilis
Common Name
Buttonbush
Sweetbay
In Hindi
Buttonbush shrub
Laurus nobilis
In German
Button Strauch
Echter Lorbeer
In French
buttonbush arbuste
Laurus nobilis
In Spanish
arbusto buttonbush
Laurus nobilis
In Greek
Buttonbush θάμνος
Laurus nobilis
In Portuguese
arbusto Buttonbush
Loureiro
In Polish
Buttonbush krzew
Wawrzyn szlachetny
In Latin
Frutex Buttonbush
Laurus nobilis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rubiales
Laurales
Family
Bruniaceae
Magnoliaceae
Genus
Cephalanthus
Laurus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Epidendreae
Subfamily
-
Epidendroideae
Number of Species
123
1
27800
👆🏻