California Laurel, California Bay
Umbellularia californica
Family: Lauraceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Early winter, Late winter, Mid spring, Mid winter. Form: Rounded, Vase.
Umbellularia californica is an evergreen Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower in April, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 25
Where it is found
Lower mountain slopes, flatlands, hillsides etc, on various soils and often in shade. The best specimens are found in deep rich soils of valley bottoms.
South-western N. America - California to Oregon.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 4
Seed - cooked. It can be roasted and eaten or can be ground into a powder that is used with cereal flours in making bread. A bitter quality in the seed is dispensed by roasting or parching the seed. Fruit - raw or cooked. The leaves are used as a condiment in cooked foods. They are a bayleaf substitute but with a much stronger flavour. Used for flavouring soups, stews etc. A tea is obtained from the leaves. A coffee substitute is obtained from the root bark.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Coffee: the various substitutes that can be used instead of coffee.
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Medicine
Rating: 2
California laurel was employed medicinally by some native North American Indian tribes who used it particularly as an analgesic to treat a variety of complaints. It is still occasionally used in modern herbalism, being valued for its beneficial effect upon the digestive system. The leaves are analgesic, antirheumatic, nervine and stomachic. Although the aroma of the leaves is known to cause headaches, they have also been used as an infusion and a poultice to treat this affliction. The leaves are also used internally to treat neuralgia, intestinal cramps and gastro-enteritis. An infusion has been used by women to ease the pains of afterbirth. Externally, an infusion has been used as a bath in the treatment of rheumatism. A decoction of the leaves has been used as a wash on sores and to remove vermin from the head. They are harvested as required and can be used fresh or dried. A poultice of the ground seeds has been used to treat sores. The seeds have been eaten as a stimulant.
Analgesic: Relieves pain.
Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.
Nervine: Stimulates and calms the nerves.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Salve: Soothes and heals damaged skin.
Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Other
Rating:
The leaves are used as an insect repellent, they are especially effective against fleas. They have disinfectant properties and contain small quantities of camphor. The leaves are burnt as a fumigant to get rid of fleas. The leaves have been hung in bunches to freshen the air. The aroma of the leaves gives some people headaches. An essential oil is obtained from the leaves by steam distillation. Beige and green dyes are obtained from the fruits (used without the seeds). Very aromatic, the dye retains its fragrance for many years. Wood - hard, close grained, heavy, strong, takes a high polish. A beautifully textured wood, it is used for high quality cabinet making, panelling etc.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Essential: Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents etc.
Incense: Aromatic plants that can be burnt to impart a pleasant smell, repel insects and disinfect closed areas.
Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Hedge, Aggressive surface roots possible, Screen, Specimen, Street tree, Woodland garden. Requires a well-drained moisture retentive lime-free soil in a sunny position. Prefers an abundant supply of moisture in the growing season. Older plants are hardy to about -15°c when growing in a position that is sheltered from cold drying winds, but young plants require some frost protection. Even mature plants can be damaged in severe winters. The leaves are harvested commercially in California and sold as a bay-leaf substitute. The leaves emit a powerful camphor-like scent when bruised. So strong is the aroma that it can cause headaches and dizziness. A very large and beautiful tree fruited regularly at Kew, producing viable seed, until it was blown down in the severe storms of October 1987. Special Features:Attracts birds, North American native, Fragrant foliage, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.
Propagating it: Seed - it has a limited viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a greenhouse. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible in the greenhouse. In the wild the seed germinates as soon as it falls to the ground in the autumn. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a shaded frame. Pot up in spring. Good percentage. Layering.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 7-10
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The foliage can cause skin irritations. A volatile oil in the leaves can cause sneezing and headaches if inhaled.
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
Laurus regalis. L. regia. Oreodaphne californica. Tetranthera californica.