Bay Laurel

Umbellularia californica

California bay laurel is native along the West Coast from southern Oregon through California’s coastal ranges and foothills. An evergreen tree with smooth gray bark and long glossy leaves, its leaves emit a sharp menthol scent when crushed. The flavor is strong, resinous, and cooling, and is a good substitute for, or complement to, the more familiar Mediterranean bay (Laurus nobilis). Because the leaves are much stronger, use just a few in recipes.

Bay leaves are an excellent source of essential oils that repel insects naturally [1][2]. Leaves can be rubbed on the skin or steeped in witch hazel for a mild natural insect repellent spray. The tree produces its own oils, which help it to resist pests and disease, and the leaves have inherited this potent protective quality.

The tree also produces olive-like fruits with large seeds (bay nuts) in fall. Native American roasted the nuts for use as both food and medicine [3][4]. Roasted seeds taste and smell like chocolate or coffee, and have been dubbed “California’s native chocolate” by modern foragers. The nuts contain a mild natural stimulant, offering the energy and alertness of coffee without caffeine. Early miners and settlers used them as field food.

The tree is a close relative of avocado (Persea americana), and its fruit closely resembles an avocado in structure — in this case, the seed rather than the flesh is the edible portion. With its aromatic leaves, edible nuts, and general hardiness, California bay laurel remains one of the West’s most useful and versatile native trees.

[1] USDA ARS. “Umbellularia californica (California Bay Laurel) — Leaf Essential Oil Mosquito Activity.” https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=300456

[2] The Watershed Project. “What’s in Your Watershed: Bay Laurel – Umbellularia californica.” https://thewatershedproject.org/whats-in-your-watershed-bay-laurel/

[3] Edible East Bay. “Roasted Bay Nuts: Foraging California Bay Laurel Nuts.” August 16, 2015. https://edibleeastbay.com/2015/08/16/roasted-bay-nuts/

[4] NATIFS. “California Bay Laurel (Western Region Plant Sheets).” https://natifs.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Western-Region-Plant-Sheets-FINAL-FY24-508-comp.pdf