Botanical Name: Umbellularia californica
Common Name: California Bay Type of Plant: dicot: tree Character evergreen Habit of Growth: Overall Shape erect, mostly single-trunked, forming a dense pyramidal shrubby canopy when young; plant becomes more open and rounded with age Height 15-30' (60') Spread 1/2 to equal Growth Rate moderate Environment: Exposure outdoors any exposure; best in partial sun at inland areas Soil tolerates most; prefers a well-draining loam Hardiness hardy (zones 4-10, 14-24); thrives in humid coastal locale Morphology: Leaves pinnate, alternate, lanceolate-elliptic; 2-6" long, strongly aromatic if crushed; deep green, leathery Flowers yellowish green, tiny 1/4", in mostly terminal panicles; spring-early summer Fruit a drupe; 1" long, olive-sized, green; black when ripe Propagation: seed Usage: widely-used accent tree for its overall shape; shade tree, lawn tree; makes a good background screen or mass-planting for large-scale landscape Landscape Care: Watering prefers regular; becomes fairly drought-tolerant after established Fertilizing little required; balanced fertilizer plus iron in clay Pruning as a tree, head high when young to develop a canopy Pests/Diseases aphids, sooty mold (in heavy shade) Special Conditions/Other Origin: California/Oregon Family: Lauraceae Notes: |
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