Laurus nobilis
Bay laurel, Bay Laurel
(c) Mike Watts, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Lauraceae · Type: Tree · Not Native
Laurus nobilis (Bay laurel) is a non-native California tree in the Lauraceae family, recognized by Non-native waif species; only representative of true Laurus in California, distinct from native Umbellularia californica.
Bay laurel is a naturalized shrub found in southern California, specifically Orange County, in rich, well-drained soil at elevations below 10 meters. Flowering from February to April, this plant produces small greenish-yellow flowers in clusters of about 5 blooms along leafless short shoots. Growing up to 10 meters tall with a dense, multi-stemmed form, it develops a robust woody structure with broad, elliptical leaves. Its leaves are 6 to 11 centimeters long and 3 to 4 centimeters wide, with sparse appressed hairs on the underside and a petiole shorter than the leaf blade. The fruit is an ellipsoid drupe approximately 1.5 centimeters long, maturing to a dark purple or nearly black color.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Non-native waif species; only representative of true Laurus in California, distinct from native Umbellularia californica
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rich, well-drained soil
Elevation: < 10 m
Outside California: native to southern Europe, Canary Islands
Bloom period
Laurus nobilis blooms Feb-Apr.
How to tell it apart
vs Umbellularia: Laurus has mild, pleasant bay aroma; Umbellularia has pungent, headache-inducing scent.; vs Heteromeles: Laurus leaves smell strongly of bay spice; Heteromeles leaves have little to no scent.; vs Salix: Laurus has aromatic bay-scented leaves; Salix leaves have no distinctive scent when crushed.; vs Quercus: Laurus has strong bay leaf aroma; Quercus may smell slightly tannic but never bay-like.; vs Ligustrum: Laurus leaves smell like bay spice; Ligustrum leaves have a musty, unpleasant odor if any.
Frequently asked questions
Is Laurus nobilis native to California?
No. Laurus nobilis is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Laurus nobilis bloom?
Laurus nobilis blooms Feb-Apr.
What plant family does Laurus nobilis belong to?
Laurus nobilis is in the Lauraceae family, genus Laurus.
What habitat does Laurus nobilis grow in?
Laurus nobilis grows in Rich, well-drained soil.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.