Bay laurel is a beautiful evergreen tree. Since the bay tree is a slow grower, it’s also kept as an ornamental, especially in the form of topiary shapes. Bay laurels work extremely well for topiary use!
This lovely evergreen is an ideal candidate for your yard as it has attractive foliage and is easy to maintain. Even better, it’s used as a spice in many cuisines. It’s often used in slow-cooking recipes like soups and stews, but also is a major flavor note in rice dishes like jambalaya.
You’ll be surprised to learn that the elliptical-shaped leaves of this tree are dried and used as wraps for licorice. The items are then shipped across the world. In China, the leaf is also used in rice packaging to offer a faint, aromatic note to the rice.
Whether container grown or in the ground, the tree can be an amazing addition to your landscape efforts. Not only that, but you’ll be able to use those leaves for their herbaceous flavor culinarily. What’s not to love?
Bay leaf plants, also known as laurel leaves, are a versatile herb that can be grown indoors to add beauty and fragrance to any space. The glossy green leaves can be used fresh or dried to flavor soups, stews, sauces and other dishes. Growing bay leaves indoors may seem challenging, but it is quite easy with the right care and conditions. This comprehensive guide provides useful tips for successfully cultivating a lush and healthy bay leaf plant inside your home.
Choosing the Right Location
When growing a bay leaf plant indoors, choose a spot that receives ample bright, indirect sunlight. Bay leaves need 4-6 hours of sunlight daily for optimal growth. Direct hot sunlight will scorch the delicate leaves. Ideal locations include next to a north-facing window or a few feet away from an east or west-facing window. Avoid southern exposures as they tend to be too intense. Select a spot with good air circulation as well.
The Right Potting Mix
Use a well-draining potting mix that retains some moisture but allows excess water to drain freely. The soil should be rich in organic matter like peat moss, compost vermiculite or perlite. A general potting mix amended with compost usually works well. Bay leaf plants prefer slightly acidic soil in the pH range of 6.0-7.0.
Watering Recommendations
Bay leaf plants need consistently moist but not soggy soil Water thoroughly whenever the top inch of soil becomes dry. Allow any excess water to drain freely from the pot Never allow the plant to sit in a saucer of water as this leads to root rot. Underwatering causes leaves to brown and shrivel. Aim to keep the soil evenly moist but not perpetually wet.
Ideal Temperature and Humidity
Bay laurel thrives in average room temperatures between 60-75°F. Cooler temperatures below 50°F can damage the plant. High temperatures above 80°F may cause leaf scorching. Bay leaf plants also appreciate 40-60% relative humidity. Increase humidity by misting the leaves daily or using a pebble tray. Avoid situating bay laurel near heating vents or drafty areas.
Fertilizer for Healthy Growth
Feed indoor bay leaf plants with a balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength every 2-3 months during spring through fall. This provides necessary nutrients for lush growth. Any all-purpose houseplant fertilizer will suffice. Cease fertilizing over winter when growth naturally slows.
Occasional Pruning
Prune back leggy growth or any dead or damaged foliage to maintain a healthy and compact plant. Make cuts just above leaf nodes to encourage bushier growth. Pruning regularly shapes the plant and promotes new leaf production. Do minimal pruning in fall to avoid stimulating new growth going into winter dormancy.
Propagation Through Cuttings
Take 4-6 inch stem cuttings in spring or summer for propagating new bay laurel plants. Select a healthy stem with leaves attached and remove the bottom leaves. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone then plant in a small pot of moist potting mix. Enclose with a plastic bag to boost humidity as roots develop in about 4-8 weeks. Then transplant into a larger container.
Potential Pest Problems
Common bay leaf pests include mealybugs scale and spider mites. Check regularly for white cottony masses, bumps on stems or stippling damage. Remove any insects spotted manually or use neem oil or insecticidal soap sprays. Ensure the plant receives adequate sunlight and avoid excess nitrogen fertilization which makes it more prone to pests.
Ideal Container Size
Choose a container at least 12 inches wide and deep for a mature bay laurel plant. This allows sufficient room for root development. Bay trees prefer being somewhat rootbound or pot-bound. Repot into a slightly larger container every 2-3 years once the roots fill the existing pot. Use containers with drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
Overwintering Care
Move the bay leaf plant indoors before night temperatures drop below 50°F. Select the coolest spot indoors with temperatures around 50-60°F such as a basement or enclosed porch. Provide bright light from a grow light or sunny window if possible. Water only occasionally during winter dormancy. In spring, reacclimate the plant to warmer temperatures and resume normal care.
Growing from Seeds
Starting bay leaf plants from seeds is challenging and time consuming. Seeds can take 4-12 months to germinate with proper stratification. Soak seeds overnight then refrigerate in moist potting mix for 2-3 months before moving to a warm spot to germinate. Use seed starting heat mats to aid germination. Transplant seedlings when they reach 6 inches tall.
Tips for Lush, Healthy Plants
- Acclimate new plants gradually before moving to final location
- Mist leaves daily to boost humidity
- Turn the plant periodically for even growth
- Wipe leaves with damp cloth to remove dust buildup
- Avoid drafty areas and direct sun exposure
- Use rainwater or distilled water to prevent leaf spotting
- Apply neem oil monthly as a natural pest preventative
With the proper care, potting mix, watering and sunlight, growing bay laurel indoors is an easy and rewarding endeavor. In no time at all, you’ll have a vibrant bay leaf plant ready to add its iconic flavor and fragrance to your cooking. Follow these tips and suggestions for successfully cultivating a lush and healthy bay leaf plant inside your home.
All About Bay Laurel
Laurus nobilis, bay laurel, originates in Mediterranean regions but has become popularized worldwide. Laurus nobilis produces the famous bay leaf that is widely used as a spice. Other common names for the Laurus nobilis tree are sweet bay, bay laurel, true laurel, Grecian laurel, and laurel.
The laurel tree is an aromatic evergreen tree that grows smooth, glabrous dark green leaves. It belongs to the flowering plant family of Lauraceae. Container plants stay compact, usually less than 6 feet in height. Planted in the ground, it often reaches 20 or more feet tall.
Its leaves are dark green in color, glossy, and oval. They have a smooth leathery texture and are slightly thick to the touch. Besides being used as a herb, the tree also grows gorgeous yellowish-green blooms in spring. Laurus nobilis is dioecious, meaning that the tree is not self-pollinating. You will need both a male and a female plant to get more than leaves and flowers.
If pollination between male and female Laurus nobilis plants occurs, the flowers on the female bay tree are followed by purplish-black single-seeded berries. Laurus nobilis has a widely-spreading root system, so it’s important to keep a safe distance when planting it near your home or other structures. The roots can easily penetrate leaky pipes, so avoid planting it near water or sewer lines.
The Laurus nobilis bay laurel tree can be cultivated as an ornamental plant or as a shade tree. Bay laurels are widely used to create attractive topiary in the form of erect stems with box-shaped, ball-shaped, or twisted crowns. One of the most popular shapes is known as the lollipop bay. But if you grow bay laurel naturally, it matures into a full-sized tree.
With the right care and maintenance, you can even grow a Laurus nobilis hedge, although it takes creative pruning to keep it low. The leaves are versatile and attractive, so much so that in ancient Greece, they were used as wreaths and woven as crowns by victors.
In cooking, bay is used to make bouquet garni – a bundle of leafy herbs used for cooking casseroles, soups, and stews. Single leaves can also be added directly into the cooking pot. They need to be removed prior to serving as the leaf remains woody and unappealing but releases a lovely flavor to the liquid it’s cooked in.
To harvest bay leaves, the plants should be at least 2 years old. The leaves of the tree can then be used for culinary purposes to add a special aroma and taste. Older, larger leaves typically have more flavor than the younger leaves do.
A Laurus nobilis bay laurel plant can be easily grown in the southern United States. It requires a warmer, more Mediterranean-type climate and doesn’t perform as well in colder regions.
In the United States, bare-root Laurus nobilis trees should be planted in the very late winter or early spring, depending on your region. As the bay prefers warmer climates, gardeners in areas that get hard freezes should plant in containers indoors. You need to plant your tree when it’s still somewhat dormant before it awakens and produces new growth. This gives it the best chance to adapt to its new location.
Young trees tend to be susceptible to wind, whether hot or cold. Select a location where the tree has a windbreak nearby to keep it from being beaten up by the air!
Pick a location where your Laurus nobilis tree receives full sun year-round. While they can do well in partial shade locations, they grow their best with at least eight hours of sunlight a day.
Container-grown plants can be moved indoors or outdoors to suit the weather. If indoors, they will need to be in a location where they receive their daily dose of sunlight through a window. Alternatively, you can set up a grow light to provide them with supplemental lighting. Use a pot that matches the size of the tree and its age. Keep it away from drafty areas or heating vents.
Your plant will either be bare-root or in a pot. If it’s bare-root, note where the bag is tied around the trunk, as that’s the maximum depth to plant to. Potted trees should be planted no deeper than they were planted in the pot.
Before you plant Laurus nobilis, loosen and amend the soil where the tree will be located. It’s essential to have good drainage, so soils that bake to a hard, less-permeable surface may need soil conditioners added to improve drainage. For a year-old sapling, loosen an area that’s at least 3 feet in diameter and at least 2-3 feet deep.
Once your soil is loose and amended with compost or other soil conditioners, make a mound of soil in the center of the hole. Set your bare-root tree on top of the mound, positioning the roots evenly around the mound. Backfill with amended soil.
Container-grown plants will need a pot size that matches the age of the plant. While a very young plant can be in as small as a 5-gallon pot for the first 6 months or so, yearling or older plants need a much larger pot.
How to Grow Bay Leaves (Bay Laurel) – Complete Growing Guide
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