Imagine growing an evergreen hedge for privacy, which provides a wonderful aromatic addition to your yard and can add a culinary delight to your soups, stews, rice dishes, curries and stuffing. These leaves from the bay laurel tree are likely a standard herb in your spice cabinet and commonly called bay leaves.

The bay laurel tree, Laurus nobilis, is a slow grower but can be grown either as a multi-trunk 6 to 8-foot hedge or a single-trunk tree reaching 25 to 50 feet tall. If space is limited, the dwarf bay laurel, Little Ragu, can be grown in a container and be more suitable for you.

Whether grown as a bush or a tree, bay laurel is a versatile woody herb. When fresh, its 3-inch oval leaves have a leathery texture with a shiny deep green color on the upper side and a paler gray-green underside. The leaf has a deep central vein and an undulating edge. In the spring, its yellow to white clumping, inconspicuous flowers give way to deep purple drupes, a fleshy fruit with a pit inside housing the seed. In the fall, the seed can be harvested for propagation.

The bay laurel plant prefers 4 to 8 hours of sun, tolerates shade and likes a rich, sandy, well-drained soil. Good drainage is very important to the success of this plant. Too much water or “wet feet” will result in brown spots on the leaves. Once established, the bay laurel will require little fertilizer. In fact, too much nitrogen will green the leaves, but leave them with little flavor. Harvest mature leaves at any time, however, summer harvests yield the most flavorful leaves.

When harvested, wash and dry the leaves. When completely dry, dehydrate them in a dehydrator, oven or microwave. Add dried whole leaves to flavor slow cooked recipes like soups and stews. While not toxic, it is suggested to remove the leaves before serving as they are hard to digest and could be a choking hazard. To add flavor, dried twigs from the tree can be soaked in water and used as skewers when grilling meat.

Fresh leaves are also finding their place in the culinary world, but since it is harder to grow in colder climates, dried leaves are more common. On a cautionary note, do not collect leaves from the wild or unknown sources. There are similar-looking poisonous trees, particularly the cherry laurel and the mountain laurel.

The fresh, aromatic bay laurel leaves are very versatile. They are often added to flower arrangements for their sturdy, fragrant greenery. In Greek and Roman history, they were formed into wreaths or crowns to acknowledge the victorious and the scholarly. Today, the image of the laurel wreath, symbolic of honor and glory, is found on Olympic and military medals.

It is also used to recognize academic accomplishments such as in the term poet laureate, which honors poets of high achievement. A baccalaureate degree honors the completion of scholarly study. These derivatives of the word laurel are often attributed to Greek gods and Roman emperors’ veneration for the plant’s “powers” of healing, protection and long-life.

Given such a lofty beginning, you would think the bay leaf would hold a more prominent place in our spice cabinet. Instead, it sits quietly on our shelf ever-ready to add a subtle minty, peppery flavor to our most common dishes.

Happy gardening and bon appétit

Deborah Haggett is a Lee County Master Gardener Volunteer and a member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral. Visit us at www.gardenclubofcapecoral.com