Characteristics:
An
evergreen tree with dark, glossy, oval leaves. Can reach 60 feet high in native
lands but seldom reaches 6 feet high when grown in a pot in cooler climates. Growing
Information:
Grow
outdoors in fertile, well-drained soil or in a pot with compost-enriched growing
mix. Give the tree full sun or light shade and keep it out of blustery winds.
If you bring it indoors in winter, put it in a cool, brightly lit location.
Healthy trees respond well to pruning and shearing. Propagation:
Buy
your tree from a nursery. Once it's growing you can try taking cuttings, but
they take many months to root. Possible
Problems:
If
your bay tree gets scale, scrub them off with rubbing alcohol. Harvesting
and Using:
Harvest
leaves to use whole in meat dishes, stews, and soups; the flavor stands up
to a lot of cooking. But be sure to pull the leaves out before serving so no
one chokes on them. You can also dry and pulverize bay leaves to use as a powder
in cooking. Or use whole leaves in potpourri and herbal wreaths. |