Find out how to grow your own alcove leaf plant to add just - pick leaves to your favorite recipes .
Dean Schoeppner
Native to Mediterranean regions , the true laurel foliage plant(Laurus nobilis)is a well - known culinary herb . Also known as bay laurel , it ’s a tree or bush that grows outdoors in warm , humid climates or indoors . The leaves flavor pet such as coq au vin , chèvre , and stifado , the classic Greek bitch fret . It ’s also a traditional ingredient in bouquet garni . you may reap the leaves year - round , but for the strong and best flavor , snip the larger , sr. leaves .
Credit:Dean Schoeppner
Not all chef agree that bay leaves add a depth of flavour to dish . expert say drying and storage precondition , the time of year the leaves were harvested , and other factors sham the herb ’s volatile crucial oils . In a hot , dry mood , bay leafage industrial plant grow more essential oils , giving the leaves their aroma and flavor .
Here ’s what you ask to grow a bay foliage plant in your backyard or indoors , and add the fragrant , dark green leaves tobeef stewand other cup of tea . Typically , the leaves are put away before serve .
The leaves of bay tree leaf plants are toxic to dog , cats , and horses , so keep them off from creature .
Credit:Dean Schoeppner
Where to Plant a Bay Leaf Plant
bay laurel folio necessitate plenty of sun to thrive . When engraft it outdoors , choose a location with sunlight and space to turn . These plants take up a spate of elbow room , so do n’t crowd them with other plants . Bay folio is hardy in USDA Zones 8–10 . In cool regions , plant it in containers that can be move to a sheltered area when frigid weather make it .
When growing bay leaf indoors , select a sunny window to ensure the plant life receivesplenty of collateral , brilliant Christ Within .
How and When to Plant Bay Leaf
alcove leaf trees and shrubs turn in humid mood . Plant them in the spring or early summer when thechance of frost has passed . bay laurel foliage trees can be grow directly in the dirt or containers . If you grow outside Zones 8–10 , engraft them in tall , deep container so you could bring them indoors during the colder months .
Use a clay or wood container with drain holes for an indoor industrial plant .
When the temperature cast off below 50 ° F , that ’s your cue to bring them at heart and put them near a sunny window . Bay leaf trees and bush wo n’t survive when the temperature dunk below 20 ° F , so keep this in mind when deciding whether it ’s best to plant outside andmove them inside during the colder monthsor raise them indoors year - round .
Credit: Jerry Pavia
Bay Leaf Plant Care Tips
Bay leaf plant are easy to grow and rewarding . They thrive when their basic needs are met .
Light
produce a bay laurel leaf bush or tree in an region that receivesfull sun . Ideally , it should receive at least six hours of sunlight daily .
Soil and Water
Bay leafage plants needwell - draining soilto thrive . They do intimately in soil with apH of 6.0 to 7.0 , but they can grow in soil with a pH ranging from 4.5 to 8.3 . When growing this plant indoors twelvemonth - round , habituate a well - draining potting mix .
water supply a alcove leaf plant on a regular basis so the grunge stays moist but never slopped . These plants are prostrate toroot rotif the soil girdle waterlogged for long time period . Let the topsoil dry out out slightly before water again .
Temperature and Humidity
bay laurel leaf plants produce well between 60 ° F and 70 ° F , and they enjoy humidity . When spring up them indoors , mist the leaves often or increase the humidity by placing the container over a garden tray of wet rocks or pebbles . Another option is to add a flora humidifier to your home .
Fertilizer
Bay leaf plant do n’t usually need fertilizer when raise outdoors in soil . However , if you ’re grow this plant life in a container , tot an organic , balanced fertiliser in bounce .
Pruning
Pruning a bay laurel leaf plant helps hold its size and shape and promotes novel growth . Prune in the wintertime to early spring when the industrial plant is n’t actively growing .
Potting and Repotting a Bay Leaf
These plants grow easy in container and like to be comfortable and snug , so it ’s fine for them to be jolly potbound . A 2 - foot - tall pot can stick out a bay leaf plant that reach 5 to 6 foot tall . Typically , you need to repot them every five years or so .
Pests and Problems
Fungal diseases , include anthracnose , powdery mildew , and phytophthora , can afflict bay leaf plants .
bay laurel leaf plants do n’t have many pests , but it ’s a secure idea to check the leaves of your plant for any unwanted bugs . When bay leaf acquire indoors , supervise the plant for mealybugsandspider mites . If you detect them , treat the leaf with insecticidal soap orneem oil .
How to Propagate a Bay Leaf Plant
you may propagate bay leaf plantsby stem cuttings . You ’ll need paw lopper , container , root hormone , sand , and plastic coverings .
root typically develop after a calendar month or two . you may check by gently move or tugging the cutting — if there is resistance , there are ascendent . At this point , you could repot the rooted cutting into a big container with potting mix .
Harvesting Bay Leaf
Once the tree is found , you may begin harvesting the leaves when you need them . Gently pick them or use shear to snip the leaves off the bow . Be mindful of how much you reap , and never take more than a third of the leaves at any one time .
Types of Bay Leaf
Most bay leaf tree diagram and shrubs raise slowly to 12 to 40 feet tall , but they are often rationalise to 8 feet or less .
‘Angustifolia’
Laurus nobilis‘Angustifolia ’ has narrower leafage than the common bay leaf salmagundi and is often arise as an cosmetic tree . It has a compact use and grows to 10 to 20 feet tall , although it can be pruned pocket-sized for a container orshaped as a topiary .
‘Aureus’
When raw leave ofLaurus nobilis‘Aureus ’ cultivar emerge , they are undimmed lime green and then a gorgeous yellow , finally darkening to non-white immature . This bay foliage plant life acquire lento to 30 feet tall and revel full Lord’s Day and part spectre .
‘Saratoga’
Laurus nobilis‘Saratoga ’ is relatively small as embayment leafage plant go , but it can reach a tallness of 25 foot in ideal conditions . It has brush up , light green leaves and is an splendid variety for role in the kitchen .
Bay Leaf Companion Plants
Rosemary
Bay leaf plant uprise well withrosemaryand other culinary herbs , includingthymeandparsley . Rosemary grows as a perennial evergreen plant bush in Zones 8 - 10 and as an one-year in cooler zone . Like most bay laurel foliage plants , it enjoys full sun . It quickly grow to 3 feet tall .
Beans
Dana Gallagher
Growing bay folio plants alongsidebeansis think to increase the beans ’ flavour and improve growth . Both plants get well in full sun and well - drain dirt .
Frequently Asked Questions
No , not if you are only interested in harvesting the leaf . Bay leaf plants are male or female , and both are call for to produce berries . A individual bay foliage plant in the garden or a container produces leaf but no berries .
This slow raiser is long - lived . Laurus nobilis folio plants are known to live up to 50 class .
California alcove laurelis similar , but it belong to a dissimilar genus . It has fragrant leaves but is not the source of the bay leaves used in cooking . However , it makes an excellent landscape painting works .
Credit:Dana Gallagher
That is n’t recommended . It is best to toss them because the tone will be well cut on a second use . For optimal flavor , use bay entrust only a single fourth dimension .
A few weeks if you box them carefully and salt away them in the refrigerator , but their flavor is good if you spread them on a sheet in a strong region for two or three day to softly dry out them before stack away them in an airtight jounce or credit card bag . Bay leaves are more flavorful when dry out than when bracing .
“ Bay Laurel . ” University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources .
“ Why Cook with Bay leave ? ” International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science .
“ Bay Laurel . ” ASPCA
