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No. 12 · December 2025 Herb of the Month

Bay Laurel.

Laurus nobilis

An herb of honor and victory — the noble leaf that crowned poets and emperors, and quietly perfumes the winter pot.

“

To rest upon one's laurels — for the victor was crowned in bay.

— After the laurel wreath of antiquity

Bay laurel, a glossy evergreen with leathery, aromatic leaves, is the most dignified herb in the garden — a small tree with a long memory. Known botanically as Laurus nobilis, the "noble laurel," it gave us the victor's crown and the very word "laureate." Native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, it grows slowly into a handsome, fragrant tree, and its leaves give their deepest flavor only after long, slow simmering.

A rich history
and cultural significance

No herb wears more honor. In ancient Greece the laurel was sacred to Apollo, and its leaves crowned victors at the Pythian Games; Rome carried the custom forward, wreathing the brows of triumphant generals, emperors, and poets alike.

From that crown we inherit a whole vocabulary of achievement — "laureate," "baccalaureate," and the warning not to "rest on one's laurels." The evergreen leaf became a lasting emblem of glory that does not fade.

Beyond honor, bay was hung in homes for protection, burned for purification, and trusted to ward off everything from lightning to ill fortune — a guardian as much as a seasoning.

II.

Culinary magic
in the kitchen

Bay is the great background note of the kitchen — rarely tasted on its own, but quietly missed when absent. A leaf or two, dropped whole into a pot, lends savory depth to anything long-simmered. Always fish the leaves out before serving; they stay stiff and sharp-edged even when cooked.

Quick ideas to try

Soups & stocks

A leaf or two simmered in for that elusive, savory backbone.

Braises & stews

Tuck a leaf into the pot to deepen beef, beans, or lentils.

Béchamel

Infuse warm milk with bay before building a classic white sauce.

Bay & rice

Drop a leaf into the pot for fragrant, gently perfumed grains.

From the garden

Bay Laurel in three states

Bay laurel tree — November 14, 2025 A potted bay laurel — glossy, evergreen, and slow to grow into a small tree.

Bay laurel leaves — November 14, 2025 Dried leaves, whose flavor actually deepens with a little age.

Bay laurel wreath — November 14, 2025 A simple wreath of bay — the ancient crown, brought to the kitchen door.

III.

Health benefits backed
by tradition and science

Behind its noble reputation, bay is a genuinely useful herb. Its aromatic oils aid digestion, and the leaves are rich in antioxidants and compounds with anti-inflammatory promise.

Digestion

Long used to settle the stomach and ease a heavy, sluggish meal.

Anti-inflammatory

Aromatic compounds help quiet everyday inflammation.

Antioxidant rich

The leaves carry a generous store of protective antioxidants.

Soothing steam

A leaf in hot water makes a fragrant steam for stuffy winter heads.

Naturally antimicrobial

Its oils lend a hand against common household microbes.

A word of caution. Use bay as the cooks of antiquity did — whole, and removed before serving, since the stiff leaves can be a choking hazard if swallowed. True bay (Laurus nobilis) is the edible one; many ornamental "laurels" are toxic, so know your tree.

IV.

Growing your
own bay laurel

Bay laurel is a slow, patient evergreen that rewards the unhurried gardener. It takes well to a large pot, which suits the South — it's only half-hardy, so container plants can shelter from a hard freeze. Give it sun to part shade, free-draining soil, and time.

Hardiness

Zones 8–10

Half-hardy — grow in a large pot so it can come in during a hard freeze.

Varieties

'Aurea' · 'Angustifolia'

Golden and willow-leaf forms add interest; all share the same fine flavor.

Care tips

Prune to shape

Slow-growing and happy clipped — it even takes kindly to topiary.

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings

Cuttings are slow to root; patience is the whole secret with bay.

Final thoughts

From the victor's brow to the simmering pot, bay laurel has stood for honor and quiet depth for thousands of years. It flavors without showing off, guards the kitchen door, and grows, ever so slowly, into a noble little tree. Few herbs carry their history so gracefully — or ask so little to keep it alive.

Pot up a bay tree this year — a slow, evergreen heirloom for the cook's doorstep.

“The laurel crowns the victor still —
and flavors, quietly, the winter pot.”
— On Laurus nobilis, the noble leaf

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