Bay Laurel - The Aromatic Evergreen

Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)

Location: Kohala Coast, Big Island, Hawaii

One of the cooking herbs we grow in our garden is Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis), also known as Bay Leaf.   It is an evergreen plant, producing a continuous supply of leaves year round.  This image shows newer growth at the end of a branch.

The new growth leaves are soft and tender, but do not have much flavor for cooking compared to the older leaves.  We do use fresh bay leaf in cooking, and we also harvest some leaves from time to time and dry them.   The dried bay leaves are not quite as pungent as the freshly picked ones, but each form has its uses.