Laurus nobilis

Small, conical tree or conical shrub with dense foliage, 2-12 m tall, 8-10 m wide, shoots starting close to ground, forming large root balls when old.

Dioecious, greenish yellow, in small axial panicles, spring.

Black, shiny, broadly ovoid stone fruit, up to 1.5 cm large.

Evergreen, alternate, slenderly elliptical, pointed on both sides and slightly wavy at the margins, stiff, hard, leathery, shiny dark green, aromatic from oil glands, up to 10 cm long, used in cooking.

Sun, semi-shade to shade, somewhat frost hardy, cold house, resistant to salt, takes very well to cutting.

Moist to dry; slightly acidic to alkaline, well drained substrates.

Topiary forms or hedges should be pruned with sharp pruning shears.

Zone 9