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Bay tree (Laurus nobilis)

Bay tree (Laurus nobilis)

 
£6.99 each
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Pot size: 12cm

The bay tree is a popular evergreen shrub suitable for containers or growing in the ground. Kept neatly clipped, the dark-green foliage can create stunning formal shapes that make an entrance or look perfect on a patio. Bay leaves can be used fresh or dried and are used in cooking to give a fragrant flavour to soups, stews and other dishes.

Common name Bay tree, sweet bay, bay laurel
Botanical name Laurus nobilis
Group Evergreen shrub
Flowering time Spring
Planting time April to September
Height and Spread Up to 7.5m (23ft) unless clipped
Aspect Full sun or partial shade
Hardiness Generally hardy to -5°C (23°F) but can withstand lower temperatures in sheltered positions. Bay is hardier when planted in the ground
Difficulty Easy

Bay can be grown in a number of ways. It thrives in containers, especially if watered regularly and positioned in a sheltered spot. In the garden, bay trees grow as a large bushy shrub or small tree, reaching a height of 7.5m (23ft) or more. Bay can also be turned into topiary (trees or shrubs cut or trained into specified shapes) specimens which can be shaped into pyramid, ball or "lollipop" standards, and some have ornately plaited or spirally trained stems.

  • Bay needs a well-drained soil and a sheltered sunny or part-shady position

Pruning and training depends on whether you have trained the bay as a topiary or are simply growing it as a shrub in the ground.

  • Topiary-trained bay are trimmed with secateurs during summer to encourage a dense habit and to maintain a balanced shape. Prune new shoots to a bud facing in the direction of the desired growth
  • Shrubs can be trimmed into shape by simply cutting back to a lower leaf or bud in spring or summer. See shrubs and trees: light pruning for more advice
  • Remove any leaf tips damaged by winter weather by lightly pruning in late spring
  • Mature bay trees can tolerate hard pruning, but are slow to recover and re-grow. This would be best carried out over two or three seasons in late spring

 

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