Where could I buy a Bay leaf tree for cooking, in Alberta.?

Green Mantis · Tue Jul 20, 2010 3:47 am

Just wondering if anyone in Alberta Canada, can tell me where I might be able to buy a Bay leaf tree? The kind for cooking, is there a special name?---Or is it too late in the year to get one now?--I need the right name, I don't want to get something that isn't the right kind for drying leaves for cooking flavor?

Kisal · Tue Jul 20, 2010 4:23 am

The name to ask for is Laurus nobilis. Some of the common names are: Bay Laurel, True Laurel, Sweet Bay, Laurel Tree, Grecian Laurel, Laurel, or Bay Tree.

It's always safest when purchasing plants to ask for them by their official scientific name. It isn't unusual for many different plants to be known by the same common name. If you use the official name, you're sure to get the plant you want.

rainbowgardener · Tue Jul 20, 2010 7:23 am

The bay laurel tree is a southern plant (US zones 8-10) and not at all winter hardy, but can be grown indoors in a container.

Here's an article about that:

https://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art44215.asp

Gary350 · Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:47 pm

I bought a Bay Leaf plant in SC for $7. I live in TN. It has been planted 1 month and already it has grown several new leaves and it is getting larger. I will need to protect it from frost and freeze this winter so I plan to turn a fish aquarium upside down over aquarium the plant with a light bulb and thermostat inside the aquarium. During the day sun will warm up the solar glass box thermostat will turn off the light bulb. At night if the temperature gets below 50 the light bulb will come on and provide enough heat to keep it from freezing. This will work fine until the plant gets too large for the aquarium. You can pick up fish aquariums cheap and free at yard sales and craigslist. I have done this with other plants it works great. Be careful not too cook your plant when the sun is up remove the aquarium during the day or use a fan to blow out the heat.

Green Mantis · Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:00 am

rainbowgrower, Thanks for that information. IF I can find one, it will come in over the winter. I have lots of space for it luckily.----- Can they be sent across the border, if ordered from a site in the States? Or is that a no, no?????

rainbowgardener · Mon Jul 26, 2010 6:29 am

The place you order from will tell you whether or not they can ship to you. There are different rules for different states and plants, but they have to know them.

thurkun · Thu Nov 11, 2010 5:58 pm

Just use the leaves fresh, when you need some just reach over and pluck 'em.
There are also varieties of laurel that are toxic ( Mountain Laurel and English Laurel come to mind and also avoid California Laurel as it has inferior flavor) so make sure you get Laurus nobilis to get Bay Laurel. I've got two plants that are unprotected outdoors ( and have been there for ten years in a protected location ) so I use the fresh leaves alot and give them to local eateries in exchange for some free food.
Pat

!potatoes! · Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:12 am

they can take a bit of frost, but not deep, long freezes. mine's been through 20degree (F) weather with no issues, but a bit of damage on nights that dropped to 15.

good options to bring in for the winter, can be kept pretty small (hard not to, if you cook with it a lot). mine's a multi-branched three-feet tall, at about 24 years old.

speedster7926 · Sun Apr 10, 2011 6:25 pm

I have a couple of bay trees here on my property but I do not know how to find out if mine is a good one I googled the leaves and they look like a couple of different ones what can I do?

marianparkins · Sun Jun 05, 2016 7:59 pm

Green Mantis wrote:Just wondering if anyone in Alberta Canada, can tell me where I might be able to buy a Bay leaf tree? The kind for cooking, is there a special name?---Or is it too late in the year to get one now?--I need the right name, I don't want to get something that isn't the right kind for drying leaves for cooking flavor?

did you find a bay tree for sale? Am looking for one also. PLease reply.

imafan26 · Sun Jun 05, 2016 8:27 pm

The other kind of cooking bay leaf is California bay which is actually a mrytle. It has a stronger flavor and the leaves are narrower.

Both of the trees are slow growing, but the California Bay is a little faster.

Green Mantis · Mon Jun 06, 2016 1:04 am

I found one at a nursery in Calgary, but after great hopes, it died. I can't seem to grow much out here. The weather and temp. flucuations are just too weird. So I just gave up.

imafan26 · Mon Jun 06, 2016 1:36 am

Bay is a Mediterranean plant and can over winter indoors if you have lots of light and maybe some artificial lighting to boot. It likes a fairly rich and moisture retentive soil. It does not like drying out in a pot. It grow slowly so don't over pot and pot up as you go. If you have it indoors make sure it goes back into the light slowly or the leaves will burn. I can grow it in partial shade so it does not need to be in full sun, but it does need good light.

Green Mantis · Mon Jun 06, 2016 5:41 pm

I just couldn't keep the room temp right. Lights didn't help. So I will wait and try again when we move back to B.C. Where we originated from. Temperatures don't change like there, like they do here.

My Aunt on Vancouver Island, where I was raised, had a Bay tree about 30 feet tall. It was old, but she used the leaves in her cooking all the time. She was an awesome cook.