Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Palm or Cycad
Origin
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
United States, Southeastern United States
Types
Cherry laurel, California Bay Laurel, Spotted laurel
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Number of Varieties
315
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-96-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-6
12-6
Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 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
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
White, Light Yellow, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Orange Red
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green, Tan, Silver
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green, Tan
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Needle like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, occasional watering once established
Needs small amount of water
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Prune for shortening long shoots, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Beetles, Fusarium wilt, Rust, Scab
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Cold climate, Frost
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Rabbits, Small mammals
Allergy
allergic conjunctivitis, Nausea, wheezing
drowsiness, Scratches
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
bank hedging, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
For treating wrinkles, Hair Conditioner, Making cosmetics
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Cancer, Diarrhea, Emollient, Migraines, Oral health, treating poison ivy
Aging, Frostbite
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaf Stalks, Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Florist trade and landscaping, Making Perfumes, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used as Ornamental plant
Application in Handicrafts, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Shade Trees
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
Laurus nobilis
RHAPIDOPHYLLUM hystrix
Common Name
Sweetbay
Needle Palm, Porcupine plant
In Hindi
Laurus nobilis
सुई ताड़
In German
Echter Lorbeer
Nadel -Palme
In French
Laurus nobilis
palmier aiguille
In Spanish
Laurus nobilis
palmera aguja
In Greek
Laurus nobilis
βελόνα φοίνικα
In Portuguese
Loureiro
palmeira agulha
In Polish
Wawrzyn szlachetny
Igła palma
In Latin
Laurus nobilis
acus palma
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Laurales
Arecales
Family
Magnoliaceae
Arecaceae
Genus
Laurus
Rhapidophyllum
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Epidendreae
Corypheae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Coryphoideae
Number of Species
310
1
27800
👆🏻