Sweet bay is an evergreen tree or shrub in the laurel family (Lauraceae) native to the lands around the Mediterranean Basin. The species epithet is Latin for “noble” or “renowned” and refers to its well-known use as a culinary herb. Sweet bay tolerates a variety of well-drained soil types in full sun to partial shade. It grows slowly but has been used as a hedge or as a topiary. It needs to be brought indoors in the winter in areas colder than zone 8b to prevent frost damage. In its native habitat, it can reach up to 60 feet tall. In NC, it is generally grown in a container as a patio or houseplant and is much smaller. The aromatic leaves are used in cooking soups and pastas. It has separate male and female plants (i.e., it is dioecious), with only the female ones producing the fleshy, black drupes. Use Sweet bay as a small tree in an herb garden, or plant several for a screen or a privacy hedge. It can be pruned into a topiary and is suitable for a formal English garden, winter garden or cottage garden. Its evergreen leaves and fissured dark gray bark make it an excellent choice as a specimen for shady locations and also give it good winter interest. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Scales and psyllids are occasional pests. This plant is susceptible to laurel wilt, phytophthora and root rot.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry | Occasionally Wet
Available space
6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Conical; Dense; Oval; Pyramidal
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf value
Edible; Fragrant
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Simple, alternate, ovate blue-green to silvery gray green, with smooth margins. The leaves can be used fresh or dried.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green; White
Flower detail
Dioecious, meaning there are male and female trees. Green, white, or yellow flowers appear in the spring from March to May.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Small, black or purple drupes, ¼ inch to ½ inch in diameter. Dried fruits can cause a litter problem if planted near patios, decks or walkways.
Bark color
Dark Gray; Light Gray
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Mediterranean
Wildlife value
Trees attract birds.
Attracts
Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves
Fruit type
Drupe
Edibility
Leaves are used to flavor foods while cooking, but the leaves should not be eaten for a variety of reasons including but not limited to choking and creating cuts inside the digestive tract or/ and mouth because the leaves are sharp.
Uses (ethnobotany)
It is used in herbal medicine and in massage therapy.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants; Patio; Small Space; Woodland
Landscape theme
Edible Garden; English Garden; Garden for the Blind
Design feature
Hedge; Screen/Privacy; Specimen
Garden tags
#evergreen #problem for cats #problem for dogs #problem for horses #edible leaves #houseplant #evergreen tree #fragrant leaves #small tree #topiary #interiorscape #winter interest #leathery leaves #fire low flammability #container plant #hedge #patio #woodland #screen #th-taste
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Yellow Poplar Weevil
Disease problems
Laurel Wilt Disease
Problems
Messy; Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Deer; Diseases; Insect Pests; Poor Soil
Fire risk
low flammability
Poison severity
Low
Poison symptoms
Vomiting and diarrhea; Large ingestion of whole leaves can cause obstruction