General Information

Bay, is the common name of evergreen tree

or shrub-like plant species that make up the
genus Laurus of the laurel family
(Lauraceae). Three species are known:
Azores laurel (Laurus azorica), Azores
Mediterranean laurel (Laurus nobilis),
Turkey, Greece, Spain

Canary Islands laurel (Laurus

novocanariensis), Canary Islands, Madeira
Islands
Definition
Bay, a plant native to the Mediterranean, is a shrub
or tree usually 2-6 m tall, but can reach 10 meters in
height. The lower part of the body is gray, the upper
part is green. Its leaves are 6–12 cm long and 2–4
cm wide. The leaves are fragrant, lance-like in shape,
wavy margins, dark green upper surface, light green
lower surface. Its flowers are 1 cm in diameter and
light yellow or green, 4-5 of them emerge from the
same point of the stem and form a cluster. These
flower clusters open in pair near the leaf. Trees are
divided into male and female. Its fruit is a black
berry about 1 cm in diameter, containing a single
seed. Its worst enemy is aphids.
Fossil History
Fossils dating from before the Pleistocene glaciations
show that species of Laurus were formerly distributed
more widely around the Mediterranean and North Africa,
when the climate was more humid and mild than at
present. It is currently thought that the drying of the
Mediterranean basin during the glaciations caused Laurus
to retreat to the mildest climate refuge, including
southern Spain, Portugal and the Macaronesian islands.
With the end of the last glacial period, Mediterranean
Laurel (L. nobilis) recovered some of its former range
around the Mediterranean.
History and Mythology

The Mediterranean laurel is the symbol

of Apollo. In Greek mythology, Apollo
falls in love with Daphni, but Daphni
does not want him and runs away from
him. Just as she was about to be
captured, her father, the river god
Peneus, turned her into a laurel tree.
Then Apollo declares this tree his tree
and dedicates it to victories, songs and
poems. (See: Apollo and Daphne)
In ancient Greece and Rome, victors and
poets were given crown that made of laurel
leaves. The reason why the laurel crown
was given as a prize in the ancient
competitions, which are considered the
predecessors of the modern Olympics, was
that these competitions were held in honor
of Apollo.
The laurel tree is also called Mediterranean
laurel. Laurel tree is among the most grown
trees in our country. Therefore, the laurel tree
is one of the most preferred trees in
agriculture. The scent of the laurel tree is
very nice and the most important feature of
the tree is that it can stay green in all seasons.
Especially in the autumn season, while the
trees turn yellow and fade, the laurel tree
remains green.
The reason why this plant is called
Mediterranean laurel is that it grows
only in places with a Mediterranean
climate. The laurel tree grows more in
places with this climate. Turkey is one
of the world's largest producers of laurel
trees. Therefore, the export of the laurel
tree in agriculture constitutes an
important share.
Planting

Since the laurel tree does not like the cold, it can
be planted in the beginning of summer or in the
spring. Generally, the laurel tree is planted and
grown in the summer season. The laurel tree is
first grown in a pot in the form of a plant. It is
then transferred to the soil. But it can also be
grown directly in the soil.
Humus soil should be preferred for growing the
laurel tree. In this way, a suitable environment is
created for the laurel tree to grow in a healthy way.
The laurel tree can also be grown in dry or stony
soils. However, since all kinds of soil do not fit this
tree, care must be taken in the selection of soil. The
laurel tree is very sensitive to cold weather.
Therefore, after planting the tree, it must be placed
in a sunny area. It should be watered regularly
(every 2-3 days).
Culinary Uses

Food
The plant is the source of several popular herbs
and one spice used in a wide variety of recipes,
particularly among Mediterranean cuisines. Most
commonly, the aromatic leaves are added whole to
Italian pasta sauces. They are typically removed
from dishes before serving, unless used as a simple
garnish. Whole bay leaves have a long shelf life of
about one year, under normal temperature and
humidity. Whole bay leaves are used almost
exclusively as flavor agents during the food
preparation stage.
However, ground bay leaves, can be
ingested safely and are often used in
soups and stocks. As well as being a
common addition to a Bloody Mary.
Dried laurel berries and pressed leaf oil
can both be used as robust spices, and the
wood can be burnt for strong smoke
flavoring.
Alternative Medicine
In herbal medicine, aqueous extracts of bay laurel
have been used as an astringent and salve for open
wounds. It is also used in massage therapy and
aromatherapy. A folk remedy for rashes caused by
poison ivy, poison oak, and stinging nettle is a
poultice soaked in boiled bay leaves. The Roman
naturalist Pliny the Elder listed a variety of
conditions which laurel oil was supposed to treat:
paralysis, spasms, sciatica, bruises, headaches,
catarrhs, ear infections, and rheumatism.