Podcast Script

Meet the Bay Laurel trees of Davis Senior High, scientific name Laurus nobilis. The bay is a member of the Lauraceae family, with elliptical leaves and furrowed gray bark. Although they may look like your average trees, the bay laurel is in fact an evergreen with a special place in the hearts of chefs. Pick a leaf and smell it. Recognize that pungent aroma? That’s because the bay leaves used in cooking come from Laurus nobilis. Even though these trees were bred specifically for landscaping and therefore have less fragrance, you can still identify the spicy, highly aromatic flavor of bay leaf.

The Bay Laurel is native to the Mediterranean region, where it thrives under full sun and mild winds. A highly tolerant plant, bay resists disease and grows well in most climates and soils. Because it tends to grow more like a shrub than a tree, many people prefer to grow bay as a container plant or prune it into shapes like standards. Still, bay can reach heights of 60 feet in its native Mediterranean habitat and 40 feet in the U.S.

In the springtime, the bay laurel produces highly aromatic clusters of cream-colored flowers. Bees pollinate the trees, which are dioecious. On the female trees, the flowers are followed by small, bright green berries. These are visible in the summer and fall, eventually ripening to a deep purple.

Aside from its culinary merits, Laurus nobilis has a fascinating connection to Greek mythology. The god Apollo once fell in love with a nymph named Daphne. He chased her endlessly through the forest, but she rejected his love. When one day he was inches from catching her, Daphne called to her father, river god Peneus, for help. He turned her into a laurel tree, thereby protecting her from Apollo’s advances. Thus, the bay laurel became Apollo’s most beloved tree and thereafter a symbol of honor and accomplishment. Words like poet laureate refer to the ancient practice of honoring illustrious people for their achievements with laurel wreaths.

Bay laurel is also known for its medicinal and herbal uses. Teas of the leaves, bark, and berries are used to treat digestive ailments and other maladies like amenorrhea. Oil of bay is also useful for muscle aches and general pains when applied externally.

Learn more about bay laurel and its intriguing history at dhsplants.wikispaces.com.

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