Bay laurel
Bay laurel: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
Bay laurel, Laurus nobilis, is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the laurel family, Lauraceae. Native to the Mediterranean region, it is familiar both as a garden aromatic and as a kitchen herb. Sweet bay and true laurel are other names used for this species. Its botanical name helps you distinguish it from unrelated plants also called laurels, whose leaves do not have the same culinary uses.The foliage provides its main appeal. Leaves grow alternately along the stems and have a leathery texture, a usually dark green colour and a slightly glossy surface. Their elongated shape ends in a point, and the edges may appear gently wavy. Crushing a leaf releases the characteristic aromatic scent. Bay retains foliage through winter, although individual leaves are gradually replaced: being evergreen does not mean that every old leaf remains on the tree indefinitely.Small greenish yellow flowers appear in spring, grouped close to…
