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Umbellularia californica
| Common name: |
California Laurel |
Family: |
Lauraceae |
| Author: |
(Hook.&Arn.)Nutt. |
Botanical references: |
11, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
Oreodaphne californica (Nees.), Laurus regia (Douglas.), Laurus regalis (Hort.) |
| Known Hazards: |
The foliage can cause skin irritations[1, 11]. A volatile oil in the leaves can cause sneezing and headaches if inhaled[11]. |
| Range: |
South-western N. America - California to Oregon. |
| Habitat: |
Lower mountain slopes, flatlands, hillsides etc, on various soils and often in shade[62, 94]. The best specimens are found in deep rich soils of valley bottoms[229]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
4 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 2 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Tetranthera californica[G]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Bay, California [S], California Bay [FEIS,H,S], California Laurel [H,DEN1,P], California Pepper [H], California Sassafras [H], California-laurel [B], Mountain Laurel [H], Oregon Myrtle [H], Oregon Pepperwood [S], Pepperwood [H], |
| Systematics: | From a USDA
Plants Database |
|
Order: Laurales. Laurel family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Us; Us(Amerindian); Us(Colonial)
|
Physical Characteristics
An evergreen tree growing to 25m by 10m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 7 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower in April, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs).
We rate it 4/5 for edibility and
2/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.
The plant prefers acid and neutral soils.
It cannot grow in the shade.
It requires moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Woodland, Canopy.Edible Uses
Coffee; Condiment; Fruit; Seed.
Seed - cooked[257]. It can be roasted and eaten or can be ground into a
powder that is used with cereal flours in making bread[62, 105, 177, 183]. A
bitter quality in the seed is dispensed by roasting or parching the seed[92,
161].
Fruit - raw or cooked[257].
The leaves are used as a condiment in cooked foods. They are a bayleaf
substitute but with a much stronger flavour[2, 94, 238]. Used for flavouring
soups, stews etc[183].
A tea is obtained from the leaves[2].
A coffee substitute is obtained from the root bark[161, 183].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Analgesic; Antirheumatic; Nervine; Poultice; Salve; Stimulant; Stomachic.
California laurel was employed medicinally by some native North
American Indian tribes who used it particularly as an analgesic to treat a
variety of complaints[257]. It is still occasionally used in modern
herbalism, being valued for its beneficial effect upon the digestive system.
The leaves are analgesic, antirheumatic, nervine and stomachic[92, 94, 95,
238, 257]. Although the aroma of the leaves is known to cause headaches, they
have also been used as an infusion and a poultice to treat this
affliction[92, 94, 95, 238, 257]. The leaves are also used internally to
treat neuralgia, intestinal cramps and gastro-enteritis[238]. An infusion has
been used by women to ease the pains of afterbirth[257]. Externally, an
infusion has been used as a bath in the treatment of rheumatism[257]. A
decoction of the leaves has been used as a wash on sores and to remove vermin
from the head[257]. They are harvested as required and can be used fresh or
dried[238].
A poultice of the ground seeds has been used to treat sores[257].
The seeds have been eaten as a stimulant[257].
Other Uses
Dye; Essential; Incense; Repellent; Wood.
The leaves are used as an insect repellent, they are especially
effective against fleas[62, 92, 94, 95, 169]. They have disinfectant
properties and contain small quantities of camphor[95, 169]. The leaves are
burnt as a fumigant to get rid of fleas[257].
The leaves have been hung in bunches to freshen the air[257]. The aroma of
the leaves gives some people headaches[K].
An essential oil is obtained from the leaves by steam distillation[11, 46,
61, 82].
Beige and green dyes are obtained from the fruits (used without the seeds).
Very aromatic, the dye retains its fragrance for many years[168].
Wood - hard, close grained, heavy, strong, takes a high polish. A
beautifully textured wood, it is used for high quality cabinet making,
panelling etc[61, 82, 94, 229].
Cultivation details
Requires a well-drained moisture retentive lime-free soil in a sunny
position[200]. Prefers an abundant supply of moisture in the growing
season[82].
Older plants are hardy to about -15°c when growing in a position that is
sheltered from cold drying winds, but young plants require some frost
protection[200]. Even mature plants can be damaged in severe winters[1].
The leaves are harvested commercially in California and sold as a bay-leaf
substitute[183].
The leaves emit a powerful camphor-like scent when bruised[245]. So strong
is the aroma that it can cause headaches and dizziness[245].
A very large and beautiful tree fruited regularly at Kew, producing viable
seed, until it was blown down in the severe storms of October 1987[K].
Propagation
Seed - it has a limited viability and is best sown as soon as it is
ripe in the autumn in a greenhouse[200]. Stored seed should be sown as early
in the year as possible in the greenhouse. In the wild the seed germinates as
soon as it falls to the ground in the autumn[82]. When they are large enough
to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in
the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their
permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected
frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a shaded
frame. Pot up in spring. Good percentage[78, 200].
Layering.
Scent
-
Leaves: Crushed
- The leaves emit a powerful camphor-like scent when bruised[245]. So strong is the aroma that it can cause headaches and dizziness[245].
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
PFAF Web Pages
This plant is mentioned in the following web pages
Web References
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [S] Illustration
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [S] Illustration
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [S] Illustration
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- Images
from the CalPhoto database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [S] SW USA Dist. Maps
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
- [FEIS] Data
(Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.
- [FEIS] Data
(Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.
- [DEN] Data _ Photos
(Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.
References for Oreodaphne californica (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
References for the family Lauraceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.
[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.
[92] Balls. E. K. Early Uses of Californian Plants. University of California Press 1975 ISBN 0-520-00072-2
A nice readable book.
[94] Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. 1962 ISBN 0-911010-54-8
Useful wild plants in Western N. America. A pocket guide.
[95] Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976 ISBN 0-486-23310-3
Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[161] Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.
[169] Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.
Covers all aspects of growing your own clothes, from fibre plants to dyes.
[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
Readers Comments
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Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Umbellularia+californica
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