Bay Laurel

Bay Laurel
Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis, Lauracae) also known as Sweet Bay is a tree which is cultivated throughout Turkey, Israel, Russia, Italy and France although, increasingly, commercial crops of leaves is being exported from Greece and Mexico. A similar crop is found in China but the variety is different and the leaves contain an essential oil having a marked phenolics odor not unlike that of West Indian bay.

The leaves yield about 2% essential oil when steam distilled. The leaves are 6–12 cm long and 2–4 cm broad, with a characteristic finely serrated and wrinkled margin. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants; each flower is pale yellow-green, about 1 cm diameter, borne in pairs together beside a leaf (Herb). The fruit is a small black berry about 1 cm long, containing a single seed.

Component of the essential oil
Alpha–pinene
cineole (45 – 50%)

Beta–phellandrene
1- linalool
1-alpha-terpineol
geraniol
euogenol
methyl eugenol
geranyl and eugenyl esters

Bay Laurel

Sweet bay

Sweet bay or Laurus nobilis, is a tree which is cultivated throughout Turkey, Israel, Russia, Italy, and France.

A similar tree is found in China but the variety is different and leaves contain an essential oil having a mark phenolic odor not unlike that of Pimento racemosa.

The leaves yield above 2% essential oil when steam distilled.  Known as laurel by the Greeks who wore it as a garland round their heads.

Also known as bay laurel and bay leaves, as a herb the they are use to flavor soups, stew, shellfish, sauces, marinades, poultry and fish dishes.
Sweet bay