# Laurus Nobilis - Sweet Bay
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.