Beginner
skill rating
Online Garden Tools
Useful videos
Laurus nobilis (any shaped or topiary form) (Bay tree (any shaped or topiary form))
1 hour care
per year
per year
12m
Max height
Max height
10m
Max spread
Max spread
20-50 Years
To maturity
To maturity
Plant details
Botanical name
Laurus nobilis (any shaped or topiary form)
Other names
Bay tree (any shaped or topiary form), Roman laurel (any shaped or topiary form), Royal bay (any shaped or topiary form), Sweet bay (any shaped or topiary form), Bay laurel (any shaped or topiary form), Poet's laurel (any shaped or topiary form), Kitchen bay (any shaped or topiary form), Bay leaf herb (any shaped or topiary form)
Genus
Laurus Laurus
Variety or Cultivar
L. nobilis (any shaped or topiary form) _ If you grow a shaped or topiary form of Laurus nobilis (Bay tree), you can add this plant to your lists to get care advice.
L. nobilis (any shaped or topiary form) are evergreen shrubs or small trees with narrowly ovate, aromatic, glossy, dark green leaves, typically pruned into spheres or cones, some on standards. Clusters of small, yellow-green flowers in spring are followed by black fruit on female plants.
Laurus nobilis (any shaped or topiary form) is: Evergreen
Fragrance
Foliage is aromatic and used for culinary purposes.
Habit
Conical, Rounded
Flower
Pale-yellow in Spring
Foliage
Dark-green in All seasons
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Horse chestnut scale , Soft scale , Tortrix moth , Bay sucker Horse chestnut scale , Soft scale , Tortrix moth , Bay sucker
Leaf diseases of laurel , Leaf spot , Powdery mildew Leaf diseases of laurel , Leaf spot , Powdery mildew
General care
Pruning
Prune shaped specimens in summer.
Propagation
Best to start from seed in autumn.
Propagation methods
Seed, Semi-hardwood cuttings
Sign up for your FREE ACCOUNT today or login to receive detailed monthly care instructions
Where to grow
Laurus nobilis (any shaped or topiary form) (Bay tree (any shaped or topiary form)) will reach a height of 12m and a spread of 10m after 20-50 Years.
Suggested uses
Coastal, Containers, Flavouring food and drinks, Hedging/Screens, Low Maintenance, Mediterranean
Cultivation
Plant in free-draining soil in a sunny position, although will tolerate partial shade. Can be grown successfully in a container and may be clipped to a standard or geometric shape. Shelter from cold, drying winds.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade, Full Sun
Aspect
North, South, East, West
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3)
Companion plants
Botanical name
Laurus nobilis (any shaped or topiary form)
Other names
Bay tree (any shaped or topiary form), Roman laurel (any shaped or topiary form), Royal bay (any shaped or topiary form), Sweet bay (any shaped or topiary form), Bay laurel (any shaped or topiary form), Poet's laurel (any shaped or topiary form), Kitchen bay (any shaped or topiary form), Bay leaf herb (any shaped or topiary form)
Genus
Laurus Laurus
Variety or Cultivar
L. nobilis (any shaped or topiary form) _ If you grow a shaped or topiary form of Laurus nobilis (Bay tree), you can add this plant to your lists to get care advice.
L. nobilis (any shaped or topiary form) are evergreen shrubs or small trees with narrowly ovate, aromatic, glossy, dark green leaves, typically pruned into spheres or cones, some on standards. Clusters of small, yellow-green flowers in spring are followed by black fruit on female plants.
Native to
Garden origin
Foliage
Evergreen
Fragrance
Foliage is aromatic and used for culinary purposes.
Habit
Conical, Rounded
Create your free Shoot garden
Create your free SHOOT garden and make a record of the plants in your garden.
Add your own photos, notes, get monthly email reminders on how to care for your plants, and connect with other gardeners. Get started now.
Colour
Flower
Pale-yellow in Spring
Foliage
Dark-green in All seasons
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Horse chestnut scale , Soft scale , Tortrix moth , Bay sucker
Specific diseases
Leaf diseases of laurel , Leaf spot , Powdery mildew
General care
Pruning
Prune shaped specimens in summer.
Propagation
Best to start from seed in autumn.
Propagation methods
Seed, Semi-hardwood cuttings
Monthly care advice
Get access to monthly care advice
Create a free SHOOT account and get instant access to expert care advice for this and other plants in your garden.
You'll also receive handy monthly email reminders of what needs doing. Create your free account.
Where to grow
Laurus nobilis (any shaped or topiary form) (Bay tree (any shaped or topiary form)) will reach a height of 12m and a spread of 10m after 20-50 Years.
Suggested uses
Coastal, Containers, Flavouring food and drinks, Hedging/Screens, Low Maintenance, Mediterranean
Cultivation
Plant in free-draining soil in a sunny position, although will tolerate partial shade. Can be grown successfully in a container and may be clipped to a standard or geometric shape. Shelter from cold, drying winds.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade, Full Sun
Aspect
North, South, East, West
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3)
USDA zones
Zone 10, Zone 9, Zone 8
In order to add a note on this plant, please add this plant to your plant lists.
| This plant likes... | Garden match | |
| Soil types: | Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types) | Tell us... |
| Soil drainage: | Well-drained | Tell us... |
| Soil pH: | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral | Tell us... |
| Light: | Partial Shade, Full Sun | Tell us... |
| Aspect: | North, South, East, West | Tell us... |
| Exposure: | Exposed, Sheltered | Tell us... |
| Hardiness: | Hardy (H4), Tender in frost (H3) | Tell us... |
COMPANION PLANTS
GARDENS WITH THIS PLANT
Report content or feedback to Shoot
To add ? to your lists,
login to your account or subscribe.
Find out more about plant lists here
or Login
To add notes for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To add images for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To check if this plant is suitable for your garden first login to your account or subscribe.
or Login