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Plants

bay laurel

Laurus nobilis L.

Family: Lauraceae · Genus: Laurus

sweet bay

Secondary II Medium No biomass production 🪓 Coppices after cutting
Dr. Alexey Yakovlev · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist

Mediterranean medium tree (4–10 m), evergreen leathery leaves — basis of tea, seasoning, and ornamental use. Occupies low/medium stratum in southern/southeastern syntropic systems. Tolerates cold, pruning, and partial shade. Moderate growth.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Laurus vulgaris Duhamel, Laurus tenuifolia Mill., Laurus undulata Mill., Laurus angusta Raf.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Secondary II
Ecological role
Late secondary
Primary stratum
Medium
Strata
Medium, Low
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Partial sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
6–7.5
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Clayey
Hardiness zones
7–11
Frost tolerance
-10.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
4–10 m
Recommended spacing
2–4 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
50–100 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Bay laurel takes the Medium stratum in the Secondary II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium · ≈10 m Low Ground cover

🪴 Cultivation

Thrives in light, medium or heavy well-drained soils of mildly acid to mildly alkaline reaction; drought-tolerant once established. A dioecious species — only female plants bear the small black drupes; seed production needs plants of both sexes. Well suited to topiary pruning and container culture.

✂️ Management & Pruning

Tolerates repeated pruning and topiary very well; resprouts from stump and base. Manage with light, frequent pruning to keep it in the low/medium stratum and thicken harvestable foliage.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: August, September, October

Fruiting months: March, April, May

❓ Frequently asked questions

What spacing is recommended for bay laurel?

The recommended spacing for bay laurel is 2–4 m.

How tall does bay laurel grow?

At maturity, bay laurel reaches 4–10 m tall.

When does bay laurel fruit?

Fruiting of bay laurel occurs in March, April, May.

When does bay laurel flower?

Flowering of bay laurel occurs in August, September, October.

What stage and stratum does bay laurel occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, bay laurel belongs to the secondary ii stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Functions

Aromatic Medicinal Ornamental

Propagation

Seed, Cutting, Air layering

Citations

  1. PFAF Plant Database — Laurus nobilis (ph_min, ph_max, soil_texture_preference, drought_tolerance, waterlogging_tolerance, light_need, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, frost_tolerance_c, propagation, cultivation_notes)
  2. POWO — Laurus nobilis L. (Plants of the World Online, Kew) (scientific_author, family, genus, synonyms, powo_id)
  3. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Laurus nobilis L. (gbif_taxon_key, synonyms)
  4. Bee Happy Plants — Laurus nobilis (nectar for bees; flowering May–June N hemisphere) (phenology, cultivation_notes)

External references

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