Bay Laurel

How to grow Bay Laurel

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in late spring in a sheltered spot out of the wind, which does more damage than cold in an average winter. In the ground and left alone it becomes a substantial tree; most gardeners grow it clipped in a pot, which keeps it manageable and allows it to be moved somewhere sheltered for the winter. Never let a container-grown bay sit in a saucer of water.

Pruning

Clip formal shapes twice, in late spring and again in late summer. Use secateurs rather than shears on a standard or a ball — sheared bay leaves half-cut leaves that brown at the edges and look poor for months. It tolerates hard cutting back into old wood and reshoots reliably.

Propagation

Semi-ripe heel cuttings in late summer, in a cold frame or with gentle bottom heat. They root slowly and losses are high, so take more than you need.

Pests and diseases

Bay sucker is the common problem: it causes thickened, yellowing, curled leaf margins in summer — pick off affected leaves. Scale insects produce sticky honeydew and sooty mould. Brown, scorched leaves after winter are almost always wind or cold damage, not disease.

Notes

Container plants need repotting or top-dressing every two or three years and regular feeding through the growing season, or the leaves go pale and small. In a hard winter, move pots against a house wall and wrap the container to protect the roots — the roots freeze long before the top growth is troubled.

This guidance was researched and written by GardenDecoded — see our editorial policy for how guides are checked and reviewed.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Laurus nobilis but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

Others in Laurus