How to grow Bay Laurel
Updated October 2026
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) is the true culinary bay: a slow growing Mediterranean evergreen whose leathery leaves flavor soups, stews and sauces. It lives outdoors where winters are mild, roughly zone 8b and warmer, and makes a long lived pot plant everywhere else. Leaves can be picked all year once the plant is established.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Bay Laurel
Not to be confused with: Several unrelated plants are called bay or laurel. California bay (Umbellularia californica) has a much stronger, harsher flavor. Cherry laurel and mountain laurel are poisonous ornamental shrubs, so only cook with leaves you know are Laurus nobilis.
Where to plant
Bay grows in full sun or part shade in a warm, sheltered spot out of strong wind, in free draining soil. Cold, wet soil rots the roots, especially in winter. NC State lists it for zones 8b to 10b and advises bringing it indoors for winter where it is colder.
It grows outdoors through Florida, the Gulf South, Texas, the Desert Southwest, California, the milder Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. In the Mid-South, the Mid-Atlantic and the Southern Plains it is marginal and survives only in sheltered spots in the mildest gardens, so a pot is safer. In the Northeast, the Midwest, the Northern Plains, the Mountain West and Alaska, grow it in a pot and bring it inside before the first hard frost.
How to plant
- Buy a potted plant; bay is slow from seed and cuttings.
- Plant in spring or early fall so it settles in before summer heat or winter cold. No special soil preparation is needed if the ground drains well.
- Plant at the depth it grew in the pot, firm the soil and water in well.
- Space plants about 6 feet (2 m) apart if you want to grow them as a hedge or screen.
- Water in dry spells through the first year, then leave established plants in the ground mostly to rainfall.
Watering and feeding
In the ground, bay needs watering only in dry spells during its first year, and rarely after that. Plants in pots need regular watering through the growing season, but let the top of the mix dry between waterings and never leave the pot standing in water, as soggy mix rots the roots. Water much less in winter.
Plants in the ground rarely need feeding. Feed potted plants lightly in spring and summer with a balanced fertilizer at the label rate.
Pruning and care through the year
- Clip once a year to keep a neat shape, or prune harder to reduce a large plant. Bay takes well to clipping as a hedge, cone or standard.
- If a hard frost is forecast, cover small plants overnight or move pots to a sheltered spot. Frost and cold winds can scorch the leaves and kill top growth.
- Yellow or spotted leaves often mean the roots are too wet or a potted plant needs repotting.
- Bay plants are male or female. Female plants carry small black berries, which drop and can make a mess on paths and patios.
Harvesting
Pick mature, leathery leaves at any time of year, taking a few at a time from around the plant, and go lightly while it is young. Older leaves have the strongest flavor.
Use bay leaves fresh for a stronger flavor, or dry them flat in a warm, airy spot out of direct sun for a milder one, then store them airtight. Remove whole leaves from a dish before serving, as they stay tough.
Growing in pots
Bay is one of the best herbs for a large pot, which keeps it compact and lets you bring it indoors in cold regions. Start in a pot at least 12 inches (30 cm) across with a free draining potting mix, and move it up a size every few years in spring, or refresh the top of the mix. Indoors, keep it in a bright, cool window and water sparingly over winter.
Propagation and saving seed
Bay is slow to root. Take semi ripe cuttings in late summer or softwood cuttings in early summer, or layer a low branch by pegging it into the soil in fall and cutting it free once it roots. Seed is slow to germinate.
Pests and diseases
Bay has few problems apart from scale insects and wet roots. In the Southeast, laurel wilt is a serious threat.
Pests to watch for
- Scale Small brown bumps on stems and under leaves, often with sticky honeydew and black sooty mold.
- Psyllid Bay psyllid (bay sucker) makes leaf edges thicken, curl down and turn yellow, with white waxy nymphs inside. It rarely harms the plant's long term health.
Diseases to watch for
- Root rot Yellowing leaves and dieback in cold, waterlogged soil or soggy pots.
- Laurel wilt In Florida and the Southeast, leaves that wilt and turn brown but stay on the branches, and dark streaks in the wood. Bay laurel is a host; never bring in laurel family firewood.
Common questions
Can bay laurel survive winter outside?
Where winters are mild, about zone 8b and warmer, yes. In colder areas, grow it in a pot and bring it indoors before hard frost, or try it outdoors only in a very sheltered spot in zone 7 or 8a and accept that a hard winter can kill it.
Can I grow bay laurel indoors?
Yes, in a large pot in a bright, cool window. Water sparingly in winter, never leave it standing in water and move it outside for summer if you like.
When should I pick bay leaves?
At any time of year once the plant is established. Take mature, leathery leaves a few at a time from around the plant, and go easy while it is young.
Why are my bay leaves curling and yellow at the edges?
Usually the bay psyllid, whose nymphs feed inside the thickened, curled leaf edges. Pick off affected leaves. It rarely harms the plant overall.
Is bay laurel poisonous to pets?
NC State lists bay laurel as a low severity problem for cats, dogs and horses, causing vomiting and diarrhea if eaten. Keep pets from chewing the plant.
Why are the leaves on my potted bay turning yellow?
Most often the roots are too wet, especially in winter, or the plant has outgrown its pot. Let the mix dry a little between waterings, check the drainage hole and repot in spring if the roots are crowded.
Sources we checked: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Laurus nobilis; RHS: Bay, grow your own; UC IPM: Bay psyllid (Lauritrioza alacris); UF/IFAS Emerging Pathogens Institute: Wilting Away (laurel wilt).
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