bay laurel
Umbellularia californica
USDA zones7 to 9
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size20 to 80 feet tall18 to 30 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Yellow , green
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) is a tree for hedges, privacy screens, and woodland gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 7, or down to 0°F (-18°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and dry to moist soil of most types. It is not a favorite of deer, though hungry deer will eat almost anything. The leaves are dark green, leathery, and pungently aromatic when crushed. Yellow-green flowers give way to greenish, avocado-like fruits that turn dark purple when ripe.
Pairs well with Madrone, Silk tassel bush, and Douglas fir.
Native range
CA and OR.