Bay leaves information

Information for bay leaves in our free herbs and spices resources collection.

Bay leaves

The commodity, traded as sweet bay leaf, and true, Roman, or Turkish laurel, is derived from the leaves of Laurus nobilis L. (Family - Lauraceae). Because of the similarity in the leaves, several other trees are also variously known as: West Indian bay tree (Pimenta racemosa), Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), Portugal laurel (Prunus lusitanica), Laurel of the southern states (Prunus caroliniana), the Laurel or Mountain laurel of California (Umbellularia californica). However, the leaves of true L. nobilis must not be confused with other laurels. L. nobilis is a native of the Mediterranean and grows spontaneously in scrubland and woods in Europe and in California. It is widely cultivated in Europe, America and in Arabian countries from Libya to Morocco.

The flavouring properties of L. nobilis have been known since antiquity. In biblical times, the bay was symbolic of wealth and wickedness, and in the classical world heroes and victors were decorated with a laurel wreath. In addition to being a very well known culinary herb, the leaves and fruits of L. nobilis are used medicinally throughout the world. Infusions or decoctions made from these materials have diaphoretic and carminative effects and also serve as a general gastric secretion stimulant. Laurel oil or butter obtained from the fruits (berries) of L. nobilis is a vital ingredient of laurin ointment, a popular medicine for rheumatism and gout and for the treatment of spleen and liver diseases. It also finds application in veterinary medicine.

L. nobilis is an evergreen shrub, or more rarely a tree attaining a height of 15-20 m. The smooth bark may be olive green or of reddish hue. The luxurious, evergreen leaves are alternate with short stalks, lanceolate or lanceolate oblong, acuminate, 5-8 cm or longer and 3-4 cm wide, coriaceous, pellucid-punctate, and with revolute, entire wavy margins; the upper surface is glabrous and shiny, olive green to brown and the lower surface is dull olive to brown with a prominant rib and veins. The flowers are small, yellow in colour, unisexual and appear in clusters. The fruits (berries) are cherry-like, succulent, purple to black in colour, ovoid, coarsely wrinkled and contain a single seed with loose kernel. The dried fruits are drupaceous, ovoid, about 15 mm long and 10 mm wide. The outer surface is glabrous, shining, nearly black and is coarsely wrinkled owing to the shrinkage of the narrow succulent region beneath the epidermis. The remains of the style appear as a small point at the apex and a small scar at the base marks the point of attachment of the fruit to the thalamus. The endocarp is thin and woody and the testa is adherent to its inner surface. The entire pericarp is about 0.5 mm thick. The kernel of the seed consists of two large plano-convex cotyledons and small superior radicle; it is brownish-yellow, starchy and oleaginous, with an aromatic odour and aromatic and bitter taste.

The cross-section of the leaf shows epidermal cells with thick cuticle; the epidermal cells in surface view are sinous, pitted and thick walled. The lower epidermal walls are more curvilinear and distinctly beaded. The stomata are present only on the lower surface, singly or in pairs. The mesophyll of the leaf is distinctly represented by two layers of parenchymatous palisade cells and a region of spongy parenchyma containing scattered spheroidal oil reservoirs, fibro-vascular and collenchymatous tissues. The leaf has characteristic fragrance when crushed and its taste is bitter and aromatic.

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