Laurus nobilis
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) is a shrub. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -10 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Toxic to dogs and cats, mildly toxic to children. Sold in local shops from about €22. We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens.
Not reliably hardy in Central Europe, so it is best kept in a pot: an evergreen kitchen herb with aromatic leaves you can pick all year round. It grows slowly and takes clipping very well, so it can be trained as a ball-headed standard, a cone or a pyramid; shape it with secateurs, because shears slice the leaves in half and the cut edges turn brown. In summer it is happy in sun or part shade; before the first autumn frosts move it somewhere bright and cool (roughly 0 to 10 °C), water only now and then in winter, and put it out again after the spring frosts. It is toxic to dogs and cats.
| Group | Shrub |
| Light | Full sun, Part shade |
| Size after 10 years | 1.5 m × 80 cm |
| Ultimate size | 1.5–3 m × 1–2 m |
| Hardiness | down to -10 °C (USDA 8, RHS H4) |
| Soil | Average garden soil, Sandy, Clay |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Flowering | March–May, yellow |
| Water need | Medium |
| Drought tolerance | Medium |
| Maintenance | Medium |
| Root aggressiveness | Low |
| Suckering | no |
| Spreading | Low |
| Distance from buildings | at least 1 m |
| Distance from paving | at least 0.5 m |
| Litter | not typical |
| Planting distance | 100 cm |
| For dogs | Toxic |
| For cats | Toxic |
| For children | Mildly toxic |
| Typical price | from about €22 |
Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.
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The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.
|
Size
|
Typical price
|
|---|---|
| under 30 cm | approx. €22 |
| 30-60 cm | approx. €38 |
| 60-100 cm | approx. €130 |
| 100-150 cm | approx. €310 |
| 150-200 cm | approx. €570 |
| size not stated | approx. €130 – €300 |
Data updated: October 8, 2026 · How our data is made
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