Laurus nobilis

bay laurel (½ standard stem)

Eventual height & spread

Laurus nobilis

bay laurel (½ standard stem)

  • 27cm pot | 30cm head | ½ standard
  • £169.99
  • In stock (shipped within 2-3 working days)
  • 2 × 27cm pot | 30cm head | ½ standard
  • £289.99 £145.00 each
  • In stock (shipped within 2-3 working days)
  • 27cm pot | 30cm head | ¾ standard
  • £249.99
  • In stock (shipped within 2-3 working days)
  • 40cm pot | 30 - 40cm head | ½ standard
  • £249.99
  • available to order from spring
Delivery options
  • Standard £12.99
  • Named Day £19.99
  • Position: full sun or partial shade
  • Soil: fertile, moist but well-drained soil
  • Rate of growth: slow
  • Flowering period: March to May
  • Hardiness: frost hardy (may need winter protection)


With its lustrous, dark green leaves, this evergreen bay laurel standard makes an elegant centrepiece for a formal vegetable garden or potager, or planted in a smart contemporary pot either side of a doorway, will frame an entrance. Clippings of the aromatic leaves are valuable, fresh or dried, for flavouring savoury stocks and sauces. It is pretty tolerant of most conditions, provided it is sheltered from strong, cold winds, and is not kept too wet in winter.

Please note that these are sold individually (not as a pair), and that the timber or terracotta pots in the photographs are not supplied with the plants (which are sent out in simple nursery alternatives) - but we have a wide and wonderful range on our website to choose from. Also, some photos show the plants with optional gift wrap, which can be added during the checkout process.


  • ¼ standard plants have a 30-40cm clear stem beneath a 20cm head
  • ½ standard plants have a 45-50cm clear stem beneath a 30cm head
  • ¾ standard plants have a 65-70cm clear stem beneath a 30cm head
  • Standard plants have a 1m clear stem beneath either a 55 or 65cm head
  • Garden care:

    Bay laurel grows well in the ground or in pots. For container growing, use a loam-based compost like John Innes No. 2 with added grit for drainage. In open ground, plant in well-drained soil in a sunny or lightly shaded, sheltered spot.

    Water regularly while the plant establishes and during dry spells, especially if grown in a pot. Protect container plants from freezing conditions by moving them to a sheltered spot or wrapping the pot in fleece.

    Feed in spring with a balanced slow-release fertiliser. Prune lightly in midsummer and again in late summer to maintain shape, using secateurs for a neat finish.

    Harvest mature bay leaves as needed throughout the year—fresh or dried, they store well and retain flavour.
    • Humans/Pets: Fruit are ornamental - not to be eaten

    Goes well with