Overview
Sweet bay is a medium-sized tree with aromatic leaves used as a culinary herb (bay leaf). Laurus nobilis (family Lauraceae) is widely cultivated in many regions of the world, where it is used primarily as a culinary herb. In its native Mediterranean region, it was also historically used medicinally and culturally. It had the reputation of protecting against natural disasters, especially lightning strikes, and was used for laurel wreaths worn by ancient poets, athletes, soldiers, and Roman Emperors to symbolize victory or accomplishment. Other common names for this species include bay, bay laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel, and true laurel.
Other trees commonly called “bay” include California laurel (Umbellularia californica) and bay rum tree (Pimenta racemosa), whose leaves and twigs are distilled to produce oil of bay, which is used in perfumery and in the preparation of bay rum (an aftershave or hair tonic, not a beverage). The related L. canariensis, native to the Canary Islands and Madeira, is less hardy than sweet bay and has longer, broader, less aromatic leaves.
Bay is an evergreen plant that can be grown as a single-trunked tree or a multi-trunked shrub. It adapts well to pruning and shaping, so can be used for topiary or grown as a standard. Because it is relatively slow-growing, it does well in containers. The glossy, dark green, leathery leaves are 3 to 4 inches long, lanceolate, with a strong midrib and wavy, finely serrated edges. The smooth bark is olive green to gray in color.
The plants are dioecious, with star-shaped male and female flowers on separate plants. Inconspicuous but fragrant, pale yellow-green flowers in spring are followed by small, purplish-black, egg-shaped berries, each with a single seed, on established female trees. Bees pollinate the flowers.
L. nobilis is widely grown as an ornamental plant in mild climates (zones 7a to 10b), but it can be grown as a long-lived houseplant or outdoor container plant in cold climates. Although it prefers well-drained soil and regular moisture, it is fairly tolerant of most conditions but can never be allowed to dry out completely. In its native areas it grows amid damp rocky ravines, thickets and old walls.
Indoor plants can be moved outdoors in the spring and back inside in the fall when temperatures are consistently above freezing. If kept in a cool room (35 to 60 °F), the tree will stay dormant and does not need much light and very little water (just enough to keep the soil barely moist). In a warmer room, provide regular watering and as much sun as possible. In the Midwest, container-grown bay trees thrive in full sun (after being acclimated from the darker indoors), but in warmer climates they may benefit from light shade.
Once established, prune the bay tree annually to keep it growing vigorously – also providing supply of bay leaves for cooking. Pruning is best done when the tree is not actively growing to maximize growth, but to maximize flavor, harvest leaves in the mid summer.
Repot container-grown plants as needed to maintain a balance between the size of the roots and the top. Prune the roots by cutting off all the roots where they had touched the surface of the old pot whenever the plant is repotted. Prune the roots at least every two years (even if the plant is to stay in the same pot) and add fresh soilliess mix to replace any removed with the roots.
This plant has few pests but scale can be a problem, particularly indoors. The bump-like insects can occur on both the leaves and woody parts.
Propagating Sweet Bay
Bay is difficult to propagate, but it can be grown from fresh seed (germination is rather erratic and the requires warm temperatures), half-ripe cuttings taken in summer (which may take several months), or by air-layering.
Using Sweet Bay
The mature leaves can be used fresh, but when dried, the oils are more concentrated. This herb is typically used in stews, roasts, casseroles, and soups with a relatively long cooking time, and also for pickling, in marinades and in teas. Dried leaves can also be used in potpourri, for wreaths and other craft projects, or to repel pests such as silverfish or stored product insects. The essential oil is used in massage oil.
Author: Susan Mahr, University of Wisconsin—Madison
Reviewers: Allen Pyle, Horticulture Outreach Specialist, UW—Madison Extension, Bruce Spangenberg, Horticulture Outreach Specialist, UW—Madison Extension
Revised: October 2026
