Bay tree?

bouicca21

There is a small tree in my front garden.  It looks like a bay but my ignorance is such that I wonder if there is anything else that looks like a bay but isn’t.  In other words can I safely use the leaves In cooking?

The garden was very overgrown when I bought the flat but sInce I cleared the weeds the presumed bay (and the mock orange and the escallonia) have started to grow far more strongly.  The presumed bay is now just over 2 metres tall and about that distance from the foundations.  Can I leave it be, or should I cut it back when the mock orange and escallonia get their haircuts?

-taff

You can leave it unless you want to shape it, but there's no need to cut it back.

If it's bay, it'll have [older leaves wise] hard slightly ridged leaves that can be snapped and it will smell of bay If you don't know what bay smells like, I can't help I'm afraid. Unless you post a pic of it. Newer leaves, i.e. this years growth will be a lighter green colour and have bensy leaves. The stems can look reddish with new growth.

twopenny

I'd suggest taking it to a garden centre to ask. Take a small twig with leaves if you can. Just that if you want it in food it's best to be safe. There are some that look very similar buy seeing a leaf/branch is the only definite way.

At 2mts I'd be pruning it back into shape. Worth checking where the roots go towards the house but it shouldn't be a problem if you keep it at this size. My Great Grandmother had one beside her house as did I and both are still intact.

Not only is it good for cooking and an evergreen if you put a bay leaf or two in with cauliflower or fish while cooking it stops the smell filling the house. It doesn't flavour either of them if they are in a fair amount of water.

Farway

-taff said:

You can leave it unless you want to shape it, but there's no need to cut it back.

If it's bay, it'll have [older leaves wise] hard slightly ridged leaves that can be snapped and it will smell of bay If you don't know what bay smells like, I can't help I'm afraid. Unless you post a pic of it. Newer leaves, i.e. this years growth will be a lighter green colour and have bensy leaves. The stems can look reddish with new growth.

My bold, you could buy a pack of leaves from a S/m and compare looks & smell

My bay leaves dry out very readily in a poly bag inside the fridge, so well they even look like S/m ones

bouicca21

Ta. I do know what bay smells like, just want to be reassured I can’t mix it up with 

something rather more toxic.  This is it

-taff

Yep, it's bay.

Davesnave

Only prunus lusitanica looks like it, but doesn't have the same smell.

Farway

bouicca21 said:

Ta. I do know what bay smells like, just want to be reassured I can’t mix it up with 

something rather more toxic.  This is it

looks like it. Has it flowered? They have tiny white flowers for another confirmation

bouicca21

twopenny said:

Not only is it good for cooking and an evergreen if you put a bay leaf or two in with cauliflower or fish while cooking it stops the smell filling the house. It doesn't flavour either of them if they are in a fair amount of water.

Hadn’t thought to do that so will give it a try - fishy smells hang round for such a long time.  I put a bay leaf in when I cook rice pudding, something my MiL taught me.

The smell of the leaves seemed quite faint until today when I was tidying up the garden and working much harder than I expected to divide a large clump of sedge that was  right by the tree.  The more I thrashed around trying to split the sedge the more I released the smell of bay, so I am now much more confident that that is what it is.  

Thank you all.  

-taff

Davesnave said:

Only prunus lusitanica looks like it, but doesn't have the same smell.

I have that in the front garden, bought it pre lockdown [by days] and shoved it in the front garden along with a beautiful rose that has red shading tp orange petals. Both of them are doing really well....

You could make a nice herb mix for chucking on frying meat of any kind, I usually use it on chicken and pork. Mix up dried smashed up bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, salt and dried garlic. Or anything you fancy really. The more smashed up the better.

twopenny

Yes, Bouicca. That's Bay,

It's leaf is broader and more rounded than prunus lusitanica. It's a 'chubby' leaf.

The Bay produces flowers in between leaf and stem.

Prunus lusitanica has sprays of white flowers.

Also put some bay leaves on top of a marrow if baking. Really brings out some flavour from a watery vegetable.