California Bay
Umbellularia californica
Powerfully aromatic evergreen whose pungent leaves can stand in for bay. Tolerates sun or deep shade and bears small clusters of yellow flowers through winter. The pungent leaves are a strong bay-leaf substitute in cooked dishes, and the seed can be roasted and ground into flour. The volatile oil in fresh leaves can trigger sneezing or headaches if inhaled directly.
- Family
- Lauraceae
- Type
- tree
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 80–80 ft
- Spacing
- 20–40 ft apart
- Light
- part shade
- Soil moisture
- moist
- Soil pH
- acidic, neutral
- Bloom
- January, February, March, April, May, December
- Bloom colors
- yellow, green
- Wildlife value
- pollinators, songbirds
- Landscape uses
- hedge or screen
- Native states
- CA, OR