Wholesale Bay leaf

01.
A Bit of Botany

a little botanical information on bay

description
Bay is an evergreen shrub often referred to as a small tree of the Lauraceae family. It has shiny oval leaves, pointed, with dark green on top with a lighter underside.

Flowers, which appear in clusters in the spring are yellow and are followed in female plants by small black or purple berries.

In the wild it can grow up to 60 feet tall, but cultivated outside its native habitat it only reaches 3-10 feet in height.

common names
& nomenclature
Bay Laurel's scientific name comes from the Latin Laurus meaning "verdant" and nobilis meaning noble, or of high rank.

Also known as:
bay laurel, grecian laurel, poet's laurel, sweet bay, bay tree, true laurel, and laurel

02.
Where in the World

habitat and range for bay

Bay leaf (or Bay laurel) is native to Asia Minor and areas around the Mediterranean.

03.
Cultivation & Harvesting

considerations for growing and harvesting bay

climate
Bay laurel requires mild climates and will only grow well year round outside if it has 4 hours of direct sunlight a day and if kept relatively cool. It does make an attractive container plant or houseplant.

soil
The soil should be rich and well-drained and allowed to dry out between watering, however it should receive a little extra water in the springtime.

growing
The plant can be propagated easily from cuttings.

harvesting
Harvest the leaves as needed once the tree is established. This is one herb that's better dried than fresh, as the fresh leaves are bitter.

preserving
Bay leaves may be pressed to dry; properly dried leaves are bright olive green. Store them in a dark, cool, dry place in an airtight container.

take note!
This plant can be found in your grocery store as "bay leaves" and in your garden center as "laurel" or "bay laurel".

Always check the Latin name when buying plants, especially this one, as there are many "bays" and "laurels" out there, some that aren't remotely related to this herb. For example, Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia is poisonous while Bayberry Myrica pensylvanica has been used as a substitute for Bay laurel in cooking and has its own uses as well.

04.
The Rest of The Story

How to make bay leaf tea

How to make bay leaf tea

Making bay leaf tea is easy. In a small pot, add the bay leaves and water. Cover and boil over high heat. Once the water boils, lower the heat to medium-high and continue to boil for 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the tea steep for 4 minutes. For a variation, add a cinnamon stick to < make bay leaf and cinnamon tea. <

Health benefits and uses

If all you do with bay is add a leaf or two to soups and stews, you're missing an opportunity to use a natural soother. Bay leaf has a number of benefits, mainly to support sleep and mental health.

Though not shown in human studies, animal studies suggest that bay helps improve sleep and may support healthy blood pressure levels. Low doses of bay oil have been found to sedate laboratory animals, and higher doses produce temporary stupor. Many people find that bay infusions are relaxing.

Like many aromatic spices, bay leaf oil can reduce and/or eliminate bacteria and fungi. It works gently. The fresh herb can be used topically on the skin.

Some herbalists continue to recommend rubbing bay oil into stiff and achy joints, but modern research has not formally demonstrated this benefit.

Important: Using Bay in therapeutic amounts should only in consultation with your doctor.