Trees of Big Sur and the Santa Lucia Mountains of Central California
California Bay Laurel Umbellularia californica
This aromatic tree typically grows 80-100 feet tall at maturity. Its distinctly pungent leaf makes this an easy tree to identify. It is similar, but stronger than the Mediterranean bay that is commonly used in cooking.
This is a tree of many names, Bay, Bay Laurel, California Bay, and in the north Oregon Myrtle and Myrtlewood.
Pure stand Bay forest
California Bay Laurel bark.
Typical Bay flowrers are often yellowish white, although the sepals can be light pink. I have seen flowers on the tree from fall through the winter months.
Variable weather, elevation, and location, seem to effect when the flowers bloom.
White flowers sometimes with a hint of pink.
Bay nuts range from yellow-green to bright green to purple as they ripen. They have an outer fleshy
"shell" with a yellowish white nut inside. Native peoples roasted the nuts and ate them. The olive sized fruit can be found from mid summer to late fall.
Many Bay nuts fall from the tree or are eaten by animals before they reach this rich purple color.
An example of the range of Bay nuts from a single tree.