Laurus nobilis, Sweet Bay

Laurel can tolerate some frost and neglect. It prefers a moist, rich, loamy soil and is often grown as a container plant. The fruit from the Laurel can be quite messy. Leaves have been used in cooking for centuries. Trees can be trained into a single trunk or multi-trunked form. Single trunked form is more sturdy and durable in the landscape. Trees grow well in shade; certainly the largest specimens I have seen were in the woods in partial shade. Trees are tolerant of urban conditions and have performed well as street trees. Pollen from male trees causes significant allergy problems in certain people; females produce no pollen.