Bay Laurel
Bay Leaf, Sweet Bay, True Laurel, Bay Tree, Bay, Bay Laurel, Bay Leaf Tree
Slow-growing evergreen tree/shrub, hardy in zones 8–10. In colder zones, grow in a large pot and bring indoors when frost threatens. Leaves can be harvested year-round once established. Fresh leaves are more bitter than dried — dry for 2 weeks before cooking. Clip to maintain shape and size. Very long-lived; can become a substantial tree in warm climates.
- Germination
- 30–60 days
- Spacing
- 120–185 cm
When to plant bay laurel
Plant from your last spring frost to 4 weeks after it.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow bay laurel
- 1
Start from a plant
Bay is slow from seed and is almost always grown from a rooted cutting or nursery plant. Plant after the last frost.
- 2
Pot or plant
In areas colder than about −10 °C, grow it in a large pot and bring it under cover when hard frost threatens. In mild areas it can become a sizeable tree.
- 3
Clip
Clip in summer to keep it to size and shape.
- 4
Harvest
Pick leaves year-round once established. Dry them for about two weeks before cooking; fresh leaves are more bitter.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water
Temperature
-5–35 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-hardy — tolerates frost
Days to maturity
365–730 days
Ideal soil pH
5.5–6.5
How Tomatograph watches your bay laurel
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- First frost within 14 daysReminder to mulch the roots before winter.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for root rot, which thrives in those conditions.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Bay Laurel questions
- When should I plant bay laurel?
- Plant from your last spring frost to 4 weeks after it.
- How far apart should I plant bay laurel?
- Allow 120–185 cm between plants.
- What grows well with bay laurel?
- Good neighbours include rosemary, sage, thyme.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from openplantdb (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).