Laurus Nobilis

Bay Laurel (Culinary Bay)

Botanical Name: Laurus nobilis
Family: Lauraceae
Origin: Mediterranean (southern Europe to western Asia)
Plant Type: Evergreen shrub/small tree

Overview

A classic evergreen for hedges, topiary and statement pots, prized for its aromatic culinary leaves and tidy, clip-friendly habit. Small yellow-green spring flowers (on male plants) are followed by black berries on female plants; plants are dioecious. Ideal for low-maintenance structure in South Australian gardens.

Key Features

• Mature Size: 4-10 m H x 2-4 m W unpruned; easily maintained as a 1–3 m hedge or standard by clipping.
• Growth Rate: 15-30 cm per year under good conditions
• Foliage: Glossy, leathery, aromatic leaves used fresh or dried in cooking
• Flowers: Small yellow-green spring flowers; black berries on female plants (if a male is nearby)
  
• Seasonal Interest: Evergreen, glossy foliage provides year-round structure, with tiny yellow-green spring flowers and, on female plants, black berries that follow. The clipped form stays crisp through summer heat and winter alike, while the aromatic leaves earn their keep in the kitchen.
• Wildlife Value: Spring flowers offer nectar and pollen for bees and pollinators
• Tolerance: Heat-Tolerant, Drought-Tolerant (once established), Coastal-Tolerant, Wind-Tolerant (shelter when young), Frost Hardy (light to moderate), Clay-Tolerant (well-drained)
• Planting Density: Specimen standards/topiary: 1.5–2.5 m from walls/paths to allow clipping access; Formal hedge: 60–90 cm apart (dense) or 1.2–1.5 m for a looser effect
• Pet Friendly: Use caution—toxic to cats, dogs and horses if ingested (essential oils incl. eugenol). Keep prunings/leaves away from pets

Where It Works Best

• Sunlight: Full sun to part shade; full sun promotes denser growth and flavoury leaves
• Soil: Well-drained loam/sandy loam/clay loam; avoid waterlogging
• Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8-12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 10-14 days in summer; monthly in winter if dry
• Maintenance: Clip in late winter or little-and-often through the warm season for shape/topiary; light feed in early spring; excellent in containers
• Lifespan: 15-25 years
• Climate Zones: Suited to temperate and Mediterranean SA gardens, including coastal areas
• Soil pH: Tolerates neutral to alkaline/chalky soils

Landscape & Design Ideas

• Formal hedges and clipped standards to frame entries, courtyards and driveways
• Statement pots (cones, balls, spirals) flanking doors or along terraces
• Kitchen garden essential: harvest mature leaves (remove before serving)

Why You Will Love It

Year-round evergreen structure, culinary leaves on demand, and a plant that thrives with clipping—Bay is a hardworking classic for SA gardens that looks refined in the landscape and useful in the kitchen.