Bay leaf cultivation. Description of the laurel plant

Most often, Canarian laurel is used for these purposes, since this culture is particularly unpretentious and responsive to decent care. The plant needs high humidity and regular transplant.

Description of the laurel plant

Subtropical tree or shrub, a species of the genus Laurel of the Laurel family.

Its leaves are used as a spice. For a long time the plant was considered a sacred tree, the heads of the winners in Ancient Greece... It is widely cultivated in the subtropics.

Evergreen tree or tall shrub reaches 10-15 m in height with brown smooth bark and bare shoots. The crown is leafy, predominantly pyramidal in shape.

Leaves are alternate, short-petiolate, whole-edged, glabrous, simple, with a peculiar spicy smell; the leaf blade is oblong, lanceolate or elliptical, narrowed towards the base, dark green above, lighter on the underside.

Inflorescences are umbellate, numerous, collected mainly at the ends of branches in the leaf axils. Umbrellas before flowering are enclosed in spherical wrappers, consisting of four elliptical scales. Flowers - small, yellowish, unisexual, staminate in inflorescences, pistillate.

Under natural conditions, this is a tall tree. The description of the home-grown laurel plant differs from wild plants compact size: maximum height is one and a half to two meters.

As you can see in the photo, at home, laurel lends itself well to decorative processing - you can cut it as you like and create any shape you like:

The plant is native to the Mediterranean. Despite this fact, the bush turned out to be hardy and rather unpretentious. The plant grows well in open soil in colder latitudes as well as in warm, dry indoor climates. Of course, the second option is more difficult for him, because in order for the laurel to be healthy and beautiful, it is necessary to properly care for him.

How to care for Canarian laurel at home

The genus has several species that can be grown at home. Most often as ornamental plant Canary laurel is found.

In nature, the species grows in moist laurel forests in the lower belt of the mountains in the Canary Islands, Azores and Madeira. Trees up to 15 m tall, pubescent shoots. Leaves are ovate, up to 10-12 cm long and 2-6 cm wide, dull green. The flowers are collected in umbellate inflorescences, located in the axils of the leaves in several, light yellow. Blooms in April - May. Decorative look takes root well at home.

In its natural environment, the tree grows under the sun, blown by cold winds, watered with rains, and covered with snow. Therefore, when caring for laurel at home, the plant needs bright lighting - its dense leaves are not threatened with burns. Direct sunlight is preferable to shady location. However, if in nature the plant gradually gets used to the sun, then home plant after wintering it is necessary to accustom to it - it should be put in the sun gradually.

The laurel tree at home adapts itself to the natural cycle of the subtropics. He needs warm summers and cool winters. The plant is quite resistant and easily tolerates temperature extremes. In summer optimal temperature for growth it is 20-26 degrees, in winter - 5 degrees. It can survive small frosts, but at sub-zero temperatures, a plant planted is more likely to survive open ground - his root system is more developed and protected.

The roots of a potted plant may freeze completely and the plant will die, so it is most often grown indoors.

In the process of caring for laurel at home, do not forget that the plant needs high humidity, then it turns green and grows well. At home, you need to spray the bush more often, bathe it in the shower, put it on a tray with wet pebbles in the heat. Dry air weakens the plant, makes it susceptible to diseases and pests, and spoils its appearance.

IN warm time year requires abundant watering, the soil should not dry out. But this does not mean that you can arrange a swamp in a pot - the moisture must evaporate, be completely consumed by the roots, otherwise it will lead to rotting of the root system. With a decrease in temperature, watering is also reduced, in winter it is watered so that the soil does not dry out completely.

If the plant grows all year round at room temperature, watering is always needed abundant. For proper growth, periodic changes in climate and watering are needed. In winter, the plant rests and prepares for a new cycle. Constant heat can drain the plant.

You can see a photo of laurel care at home below:

Soil for laurel and transplant at home

The soil for laurel at home needs neutral, moderately nutritious, well absorbing water. Of ready mixes suitable substrates for universal or for cacti. You can also compose the substrate yourself, for this you need to take two parts of leafy land, one part of sod land, two parts of humus, one part of a large river sand and one part of peat. A little crushed charcoal can be added to the mixture. If the tree does not grow quickly or is completely frozen in growth, the soil may not be suitable for it - there are not enough nutrients.

A young plant needs an annual transplant. The root system does not grow very quickly, so changing the pot is not necessary. If the roots have completely or almost completely mastered the pot, they must be transplanted into a larger container. If the root is poorly developed, the plant is left in the same pot and care for it is adjusted.

After 5 years, the frequency of laurel transplants at home can be reduced to 1 time in 2-4 years. To nourish the plant, you can make a horse soil replacement in a pot. Rare transplants are also associated with the fact that by this age the laurel grows to an impressive size and it becomes not so easy to transplant it.

When transplanting, drainage must be done. The less often transplants take place, the larger the drainage layer should be.

Fertilize with a complex mineral or organic fertilizer in standard dosage from March to October. Fertilizer is applied every 2-3 weeks.

Growing laurel from seeds at home

Reproduction of laurel at home is carried out by seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush, branches and grafting.

At home, it rarely blooms, but it is difficult to get seeds. Seeds for propagation are harvested in November, kept in a slightly damp place so that they do not dry out, the skin is removed from them before planting. Planting is carried out in late autumn-early winter or early spring.

When growing laurel from seeds at home, for a start, the seed is placed in small boxes. The soil in these containers should consist of a sod, leaf mixture, mixed with sand (1: 1: 0.5). Before planting, the seeds are freed from the surrounding pulp, and at the end of the procedure, they are covered with glass (you can use plastic wrap).

When the third leaf appears on the seedlings, the seedlings are dived and planted in separate containers - pots, disposable cups, yogurt dishes and others.

After planting laurel at home, grown and matured plants are transplanted into ceramic pots until further growth.

Reproduction of laurel by cuttings and pruning at home (with video)

The process of preparing cuttings should begin no earlier than March-April. Shoots are used only from a healthy bush that has already matured, but has not yet been covered with a crust.

Cuttings are cut into small pieces of 6-8 cm, observing some rules: when cutting off the cutting, you do not need to completely cut it off with a knife. Make an incision, and then carefully tear off a piece to capture some of the crust. The stalk should have a heel starting below the first knot. Pouring at the bottom of the cutting is removed.

When propagating laurel by cuttings at home, remember that the plant does not take root well, so it is recommended to use drugs that stimulate the process of root formation to form the root system. Before lowering the cuttings into the composition, you should wet them. Something special is not required to remove excess preparation - you just need to shake off the cuttings.

The stalk prepared in this way is planted in a kind of greenhouse - under a plastic wrap supported by pegs, in clean sand, about 2 cm. in depth. You should wait for the rooting of cuttings no earlier than a month later. Then they can be planted in the ground or in a permanent pot.

Watch a video of laurel propagation by cuttings at home in order to root the plant correctly:

The crown of a house tree can be given any shape. Pruning laurel at home is best done in late summer or autumn, when the plant slows down.

Diseases of laurel at home

Diseases of laurel at home indicate insufficient plant care.

The plant does not tolerate dry air well. If the humidity is low, it can be struck, which is removed by spraying with a special insecticide.

Pale laurel leaves may indicate starvation. Or it happens in the summer, in extreme heat - the leaves simply burn out.

If a dry border appears on the leaves, then the air is too dry. Or watering is insufficient. For the same reason, the leaves can curl up into tubes.

Sluggish leaves indicate too dense soil, insufficient watering, directed heat, for example, from a battery.

If the tree has dropped its leaves in winter, it is time for rest. Just transfer the plant to cool place.

Laurel is a subtropical tree or bush. There are several types of this plant. IN natural conditions they grow in the Mediterranean and in the south Krasnodar Territory.

Laurel tree: description, types

Laurel belongs to the Lavrov family of the same name. Types of laurel:

• Azores is distinguished by its large decorative ovoid leaves. It blooms in May with light yellow flowers.
• Camphor, so named because of the high content of camphor in the leaves and stems. The crown of the plant is wide, branched. The leaves give off a spicy smell. The leaves are lanceolate, with small dots throughout the field. The flowers are yellow-green.
• Noble, whose leaves are used for food. It is a perennial evergreen tree or shrub. Under natural conditions, he lives up to 100 years. During this time, its height reaches 10 m. In the apartment, it grows up to 3 m. Its stems are covered with leathery leaves about 8 cm long. In spring, the noble laurel blooms with small yellow flowers. When grown at home, flowering is rare, after reaching 5 years of age. Laurel fruits are small.

Laurel can be propagated by layering, cuttings and:

• The easiest way to get a new plant is from cuttings. They can appear on their own. If this does not happen, in the spring they add a branch of laurel, water the place where rooting takes place. Next spring a new plant is planted in a separate pot, after cutting off the cut from the main tree.
• It is necessary to propagate laurel by seeds in the fall. To do this, take a pot, lay drainage on the bottom, then sprinkle it with soil. Watering. Cover the pot plastic wrap... They are waiting for shoots to appear.
• Get a young plant faster from the cut young plant... To do this, take non-lignified cuttings with 2-3 buds or leaves. Prepare the soil in the same way as for growing from seeds, but cover the soil with a layer of sand on top. The length of the cutting is up to 8 cm. The cuttings are immersed so that the lower edge is immersed in the sand by 1 cm. The soil for laurel is prepared by mixing humus, turf, old foliage. Peat and sand are added. If there are no such components, you can plant laurel in a universal soil purchased from flower shop.

Good neighbors for laurel in the room will be,. They will create a beautiful corner, in addition, they will have a positive effect on the well-being of the owners. After all, phytoncides that secrete laurel leaves contribute to this.

Although laurel belongs to subtropical plants, it can even withstand temperatures as low as 5 degrees below zero. But this only applies to old leaves. Young, spring ones can freeze even with slight frosts. Therefore, do not rush to carry the tree to fresh air... It winters best at a temperature of 12-15 ° C. He needs warmth in the summer. The optimum will be 25-28 degrees. Laurel does not like sudden changes in temperature.

When choosing a place for laurel, take into account that it feels best in a well-lit place. But direct sunlight on the leaves should be avoided. It also grows in the shade, but in this case the branches will stretch out and lose their decorative effect.

In an apartment or office, in no case should a laurel be placed near a radiator or other heating devices.

Laurel loves fresh air. Therefore, the room where it grows must be regularly ventilated. And in summer, it is better to take the plant out to the balcony or in the garden, setting it in partial shade. Laurel is not afraid of drafts. It tolerates heat well, but grows worse.

Like all subtropical plants, laurel grows well in high humidity. To provide the tree comfortable conditionssprinkle the leaves with water regularly. It should be soft and not cold. Once a month, you can have a shower by covering the potting soil with plastic wrap.

How to water the plant:

• In summer, you can ensure a suitable humidity by placing a pot with a tree in a large pallet, at the bottom of which pebbles and moss are laid. A little water is poured into it. If possible, you can spray the plant with a spray bottle several times a day.
• It is watered abundantly in the warm season, but not poured, so as not to get stagnant water in the pot. In hot weather, it is better to water in the morning and evening. Do not water during the day so as not to get water on the leaves. This can cause sunburn on them.
• You can take tap water for irrigation, then only after it has settled well. Its temperature should be higher than in the room.
• In winter, the number of waterings should be reduced, and the interval between them should be increased. But it is also impossible to overdry the soil, the plant may die. At this time, the laurel is not watered. From time to time, you can wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.

For the laurel to be strong and beautiful, it needs to be fed. During the period of active growth, this is done once a month. It is easier to use complex fertilizers. You can alternate organic and.

The laurel root system does not like to be disturbed. But the tree is growing and needs replanting. Therefore, it is better to do it by transshipment. So the root system moves from one flowerpot to another along with a lump of earth, practically without damage.

Young laurel trees are replanted approximately every 2 years.

If it does not grow very actively, and there is enough space in the pot for the roots, you can do this even less often. Plants 5 years old and older are transplanted after 4 years. New pot take 3 cm wider than the previous one. A drainage layer is laid on the bottom. It will ensure a timely outflow of water and protect root system from stagnant water.

You can take almost any soil, even ordinary garden soil. Add some humus. If the soil is clayey, sand is poured to increase moisture permeability. If it is sandy, add a little clay. She will help keep required amount moisture. Water the laurel abundantly, wait for the water to be absorbed, and the soil will lag behind the walls of the pot. Carefully remove the tree, laying it on its side on a mat or oilcloth. Examine the root system. If there are damaged roots, they are carefully cut, sprinkle the cut with crushed charcoal. If possible, take out drainage stones entwined with roots.

The crown of laurel lends itself well to shaping and pruning:

• It is carried out in early spring so that young shoots have time to grow. Lignified twigs are shortened by 20 cm. New shoots will appear from the buds located below the cut site, the bush will become curly and voluminous.
• Pruning can give laurel the desired shape: ball, cone, pyramid or other curly.
• For crown formation unusual shape you need to start at a young age, prune more often, but little by little.
• Some growers advise pruning laurel at the end of summer. Leave young shoots that will grow in spring.

To remove the scabbards by hand, remove them with a damp cotton swab. This is a longer process. Processing should be carried out until the scabbards are not. But then you need to control it for some time, because young individuals may appear. Laurel at home is susceptible to certain diseases, fungal or viral. A black sooty bloom on the underside of the leaves may be a sign of damage. To combat them, use biological products, for example, "Gamair".

If the conditions for growing laurel are violated, it reacts with a change in appearance:

• If the indoor air is too dry, the leaves begin to curl.
• If they dry, you need to lower the room temperature.

The same symptoms may indicate high air density. Lower the temperature or move the plant to a cool place. Cover with a plastic bag. This will help increase the humidity. Soon, young leaves will begin to grow back.

If the indoor temperature is too high in winter, the laurel can completely shed its leaves.

In this case, you need to move it to a cooler room. If you put a plastic bag on it, the leaves will recover very quickly. Laurel leaves are almost the same as those sold in the store. But experts advise against using it for food. It may happen that when grown in a greenhouse or in a flower shop, it gave in to processing chemical preparationsharmful to the human body. And in modern apartments and in offices, it can absorb hazardous substances. In addition, the leaves may lose their aroma as a result of drying at home.

More information can be found in the video:

Good day to all!

Laurel noble (laurus nobilis) or laurel tree, with fragrant leaves which every housewife is familiar with, grows naturally in southern Europe, in the Mediterranean, in the Western Caucasus. But laurel can also act as a houseplant, especially since caring for it at home is not at all difficult.

And the health benefits of this plant in the room are very large. Bay leaves contain many phytoncides and essential oils that purify and heal the air. And the plant's energy is very good, it's not in vain that it is a noble laurel! Laurel wreaths were awarded to heroes and winners!

A laurel bush is very suitable for both the bedroom and the living room. It improves sleep, harmonizes relationships, smoothes sharp cornershelps mutual understanding.

The most popular use of bay leaves is as a spice. Also noticed for a long time medicinal properties plants to which it owes a large presence in the leaves essential oil... This oil is widely used in perfumery and cooking.

I got laurel about ten years ago. I accidentally bought it in a store. I brought it home, I was very happy.

But the plant sat in one place, did not grow. What? I began to examine carefully - and there was a shield on it! That's why my Lavrik isn't growing! And now I will tell you about my experience in caring for indoor laurel and how I got rid of the scabbard on it.

The laurel plant itself is quite unpretentious, loves light and fresh air, is not afraid of drafts. Grows well in normal soil suitable for most evergreens.

If you want to prepare the soil yourself, take such a mixture - turf soil - 2 parts, and 1 part each of sand, humus and well-decomposed peat. The soil should be sufficiently breathable with neutral acidity.

In the summer, during the growing season, laurel needs additional feeding. From home remedies, I use water after washing the meat, a little ash, and also fertilize potted flowers according to the instructions. Top dressing can be done every two weeks.

The tree tolerates pruning well, the twigs can then be used in the kitchen. By pruning, you can shape the plant and prevent it from growing too much.

The temperature for growing a laurel tree is normal, room temperature. In winter, if it is possible to keep it cooler, then it is better to do so. But my laurel stands in ordinary room, however, in the house in the winter we maintain the temperature of 19-20 degrees, sometimes it is even lower, that is, without heat.

In winter, the plant is in a dormant period, so there is no need to feed, but water it sparingly when the soil dries out. In winter, the bush tolerates even a lack of light well, it stands in the back of the room for coffee table.

But when it starts to grow, it is better to put it in a brighter place so that the shoots do not stretch out.

Reproduction of laurel noble.

The easiest way is to propagate laurel by root shoots in room conditions during transplantation. There are times when seeds are found in a bag of bay leaves and they sprout from someone.

My lavrushka has never bloomed, possibly in room conditions this is not always possible.

I tried to root the stalk under the jar, it sat for a very long time, but it never took root. Now I propagate only by division during transplantation and by root processes that appear in abundance around the main trunk.

Watering the laurel tree.

One of the main conditions successful cultivation laurel - correct watering... The main rule is not to flood the plant, especially in winter when it is dormant. In the summer, watering should be sufficient; in the heat, you can water every day.

Here it is necessary to monitor the condition of the earthen coma, to prevent drying out. Laurel will react to a lack of water by wilting leaves. If you water it in time, the leaves will restore turgor.

For the last few years I have been taking my laurel outside in the summer, and it stands on my terrace until the frost. In the heat, in the evenings, I can spray the flowers with water, when it rains, I put them in the rain. to wash away the dust.

In winter, instead of rain, I make the laurel a cool shower. He loves it very much, after bathing, the plant becomes cheerful. During the shower, I put a plastic bag on the pot so that the water does not flow into the pot.

Laurel tree pests and control.

One of the most vicious pests of indoor laurel is the scale insect. A lot of people wrote to me about this in the comments under the article about. I promised to tell you how I dealt with the shield.

Yes, it was not easy. What did I not do after I found this filth on the branches! To tell. that one thing helped, I can't, most likely everything in the complex helped.

She washed the plant several times with laundry soap with the addition of kerosene. She wrapped the pot with foil, and applied soap foam to the entire crown from laundry soap with the addition of kerosene. For a liter of water - a spoonful of kerosene. The foam was left on the plant for a couple of hours, then washed off with a shower.

Since my laurel stands on the coffee table in winter, I examined the plant in the evenings, and cotton padmoistened with alcohol, removed the scale insects from twigs and leaves.

But my scabbard was not only on the laurel, it also hit the lemons and even on the window.

So in the summer I went on a real attack. She took all the flowers into the yard, etched the window with dichlorvos, and then washed it thoroughly.

I cut off the leaves of the hippeastrum, and treated all the plants - laurel, lemons, hippeastrum with Aktara. Moreover, she processed not only the crown, but also watered a little earthen lump, since the scale insects live in the soil.

This treatment was repeated two or three times with an interval of 10-14 days. And after that the shield disappeared.

Now, for prophylaxis purposes, before bringing indoor flowers into the house after a summer stay on the street, I must process them all right on the terrace, preferably twice with an interval of 7-10 days.

And in winter, I periodically examine my pets, so that if something happens, take timely measures.

So you learned how you can grow a laurel tree at home and how to overcome the scale insect. We will talk more about the benefits of laurel another time. There will be questions - ask, if I can, I will answer.

That's not all for today. Bye Bye! I would be grateful if you share the publication with your friends on social networks.

Laurel noble - care and cultivation at home.

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Laurel noble is known to culinary experts for its fragrant leaves. It is difficult to imagine a lot of hot dishes without bay leaves - especially soups, cabbage soup, borscht. However, it is not necessary to purchase this condiment. Growing laurel at home will allow you to provide yourself with fresh high-quality raw materials.

Laurel noble

In nature, noble laurel - evergreen up to 18 meters high. Its young leaves and shoots are used as a spice ( bay leaf), they also have medicinal properties.

Most of the essential oils in the leaves accumulate in autumn or winter. Cut branches with leaves from a 3-4-year-old plant and hang in the shade to dry. When the leaves are dry, they are plucked and stored in linen bags. Cut to a third of the crown at a time. And a year later, new leaves are harvested from the same plant - it grows so quickly.

This plant is unassuming, easily tolerates pruning. Therefore, in the south, it is sometimes used for palisades, providing the most diverse, sometimes inventive form. Laurel is a fairly frost-resistant plant. It dies only at 15 degrees of frost. The drier the air, the lower the temperature it can tolerate. A laurel tree grows on almost any soil, except for swampy, but considers neutral or slightly alkaline as the best.

Laurel at home

Laurel grows well at home. He is not afraid of drafts. Therefore, in the summer it is exposed to the open air, slightly shading from direct sunlight. The only condition for growing laurel is that it must be properly watered, avoiding waterlogging of the soil, and the leaves must be regularly sprayed. In summer, the plants are sprayed so that the water penetrates deep into the crown. This helps prevent pests, especially scale insects. When watering, baking soda is added to the water (half a teaspoon per 1 liter). Laurel is placed both in the sun and in the shade, although it branches better in the sun.

In winter, laurel noble is more comfortable at a temperature of 13 degrees, but it tolerates a decrease to 2 - 5 degrees. If the room temperature is above 18 degrees, then the plant needs to be sprayed frequently. Otherwise, due to the dryness of the air, the leaves of the laurel will begin to fall off. When proper care only those leaves that have been growing for more than three years fall off. Leaves are harvested as spices when they grow in length more than 10 cm.

The laurel is transplanted in the spring, choosing a pot 2 cm larger than the previous one. This limits the growth of the root system, and hence the growth of the bush itself. At the bottom of the pot, be sure to put broken shards and coarse sand with a layer of 3-4 cm for drainage. The land mixture is prepared from turf, leafy soil and sand (2: 1: 0, 5).

Plant formation

Growing laurel can be fun. After all, the noble laurel can be given any form! In the south, there are whole parks with cubs, figures, fences made of living laurel plants. At home, you can also form different compositions from laurel. To do this, the plant will have to be cut frequently. Laurel looks beautiful in the form of a ball or pyramid.

For this, they begin to form a crown in the spring in the second year of life. The upper part of the main shoot is cut at a height of 10-12 cm above the soil surface. After that, 2-3 shoots grow from the lower buds. When these shoots are 15-20 cm long, they are pinched. Thus, the bushes grow by 8-10 cm per year.

Reproduction of the noble laurel

Bay plants adapt better to living conditions in a room when propagated by seeds. To plant seeds, they are peeled from the pulp, as they delay their germination. When the seeds dry out, they quickly lose their germination, therefore they are usually sown in the fall. But if this is not possible, then they are stored until spring, sprinkled with sand in a cold place. Seeds are sown in a bowl with a soil mixture of turf, leafy earth and sand (1: 1: 0, 5), covered with foil or glass on top. They sprout faster at temperatures above 18 degrees. When the seedlings grow up and they have two leaves, they are planted in a 2x2 cm pattern or in small pots. Later they are seated in separate pots.

Laurel propagation by shoots begins in March-April. Shoots for this are cut 6-8 cm long from ripe, but not stiff shoots. When cutting the shaft at the bottom, the following technique is used: they cut a little before reaching the end, and then partially tear off the bark with adjacent tissues. Lower leaves removed.

The shoots are difficult to root. Therefore, root formation stimulants are used, for example Kornevin. The shoots are planted in coarse sand to a depth of 1-2 cm according to a 10x10 cm pattern. To maintain air humidity, a plastic bag is pulled from above. So that it does not touch the processes, pegs are installed - a mini greenhouse comes out. A month later, when the petioles take root, they are planted in pots with a diameter of 7-9 cm, using the same soil mixture as for the seedlings.

The healing properties of the noble laurel

Laurel is used not only as a super popular seasoning. He owns and healing properties... In particular, laurel purifies the air in the house. Its aroma is useful for intestinal spasms, inflammation of the respiratory and biliary tract. To make the aroma stronger, the laurel is placed by the window, watered with water twice a week with the addition of a glucose solution (5 ml per 5 l of water) or aspirin (5 g per 1 l). When high humidity The aroma of plants increases, therefore a vessel with water is placed between the plants. Be sure to remove dead leaves. Laurel is used not only as a spice, but also for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, gout, flaccid paralysis, for spastic pain, as well as for diabetes.

Growing laurel noble at home, you will acquire useful plant - very aromatic, beautiful and healing.

(Laurus nobilis) - this is the full name of a popular indoor and tub plant.

In ancient Greece, laurel was considered the sacred tree of the god Apollo. This reverence is based on the myth of the nymph Daphne ( daphne - "laurel" in ancient Greek), which was turned into this tree in an attempt to avoid the love pursuit of Apollo. To prove his love, God wove a laurel wreath and never parted with it. So the laurel wreath became a symbol of triumph. A laurel wreath was awarded to the winner sports gamesheld in honor of Apollo. This symbolism was carried over to Roman culture, where the laurel branch was also identified with victory. Titles such as "bachelor" and "laureate" also come from the word laurel. In the Bible, laurel is mentioned as a symbol of prosperity and glory.

Laurel noble - one of the species of the genus Laurus ( Laurus) belonging to the Lavrov family ( Lauraceae). The number of species in the genus is not exactly established, according to some sources there are 3 of them, but the morphological characteristics of the species largely coincide.

Laurel is a noble native to the Mediterranean, where it grows in a subtropical climate. At a time when the climate was more humid, laurel forests covered most of the Mediterranean basin. But as the climate changed, these areas were inhabited by more drought-resistant vegetation, the last laurel forest disappeared about 10 thousand years ago, only its remnants in the form of small groves in Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Syria, the Canary Islands and Madeira survived. Laurel also grows in Russia, in the southwestern regions of the Krasnodar Territory, and is also widely cultivated in many countries with a subtropical climate.

Laurel grows pyramidal evergreen tree or a large shrub, reaching 10-18 m in height. The leaves are located on the shoots alternately on short petioles, elliptical, entire, leathery, dark green and shiny above and whitish below, up to 10-20 cm long, have a well-known aroma.

The plant is dioecious, male and female flowers are formed on different plants, occasionally there are monoecious specimens. Numerous umbellate inflorescences are collected mainly at the ends of the shoots. Before flowering, they are enclosed in spherical wrappers of 4 elliptical scales. Flowering occurs in the spring. Flowers are yellowish and small, males are collected in 6-12, females - in 2-3. After pollination on female plants dark blue ovoid drupes are tied, about 1 cm long, which ripen in October-November.

Laurel is grown on an industrial scale, the leaf is widely used as a spice in cooking, and laurel oil is extracted from the fruits, which is used for medicinal purposes.

All parts of the plant contain laurel essential oil, which gives them the famous aroma. This oil contains eucalyptol, lineene, myrcene, camphor, limonene, linalool, organic acids and other valuable components. Thanks to this set nutrients laurel has been used since ancient times in medicine. Laurel essential oil is a good disinfectant and insecticidal agent, it was used when there was a threat of epidemics of cholera, dysentery, malaria, and the smoke from burning wood served to scare away mosquitoes and mosquitoes.

Laurel has been used to treat coughs, digestive problems, urolithiasis, and to relieve arthritis. Currently, preparations based on laurel essential oil are used only externally. In massage therapy, they help relieve pain in arthritis and rheumatism, in aromatherapy, they are used to lower blood pressure. Ointments are effective in treating scabies and rheumatism and as a remedy for wrinkles. There is evidence that a compound derived from laurel leaves inhibits human skin cancer, melanoma. Laurel leaves are placed in bags with cereals to repel harmful insects. However, laurel, in contact with it, can cause allergies in sensitive people.

Laurel is widely cultivated and in pure decorative purposes... It was introduced to culture in Britain at least in the early 1650s, and in 1993 was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society Award. This small, bushy tree with a slow growth rate is ideal for patio decoration and can be grown as container plant in a harsher climate. Due to its dense dense crown, which lends itself well to haircut, laurel can be used as a hedge, for making topiary figures, it is perfectly formed and as standard tree... As a small potted plant, laurel is often present in kitchens in many countries, being both a decorative living element of the interior, and a ready-made fresh spice, and at the same time saturating the air with useful essential oils.

Through selection, several decorative varieties laurel, including:

• Aurea - with yellowish young foliage;
• Angustifolia - with narrow, spear-shaped leaves;
• Undulata - with a wavy edge of the leaf blade.

Home care

The subtropical nature of this plant imposes certain requirements for care. First of all, this concerns the organization of a cool wintering. Laurel grows well in tub culture, spending the summer outdoors and winter in a cool, light greenhouse. At home, it is important to provide the laurel with a constant supply of fresh air.

Lighting. Laurel prefers bright light, tolerates direct sunlight well. In the warm season, he prefers to spend in the garden on open sun or in the light shade of trees. This is a good tub plant that will decorate a gazebo, veranda or patio, giving them a Mediterranean flavor. If it is not possible to take the plant out to the country in summer, it is advisable to put it on an open sunny balcony. When moving the plant from indoors to the street or immediately after purchase, accustom it to the sun gradually, otherwise the leaves will get burned. IN winter time find him a very bright place.

Temperature conditions. In summer, the optimal temperature for laurel is within + 18 + 26 o C, in winter a plant from the subtropics must be cool, it rests. At a temperature of + 5 + 12 ° C, wintering is the least painful. Laurel is quite frost-resistant, growing in the soil, it can withstand a short-term drop in temperature to -10 o C. When grown in a pot, the temperature should not fall below 0 o C so that the roots do not suffer.

Watering depends on the season. In summer, laurel is watered abundantly after the top layer of the soil dries out, without leading to waterlogging. In the fall, watering is reduced, and in winter, when the plant is resting in the cool, it is minimized, but not brought to dryness so that the roots do not suffer.

More about watering indoor plants - in the article Watering rules for indoor plants.

Air humidity increased is preferable. It is advisable in warmth, especially in the heat, to spray the plant several times a day with boiled water.

Soil and transplants. Young plants are transplanted every 1-2 years, as the volume of the soil is filled with roots. Adult specimens require transplantation no more than once every 3-5 years. For young plants, a ready-made universal peat soil is quite suitable, for older plants, it is advisable to gradually increase the proportion of sod land during subsequent transplants. For adult tub plants that spend the summer outdoors, sod land must be present in the composition of the land mixture, this will prevent the coma from drying out too quickly.

Details on transplanting indoor plants - in the article Transplanting indoor plants.

Top dressing are introduced from February, when the plant starts to grow, and until the end of October, when the rest period begins. For top dressing, you can use universal complex fertilizers with microelements, at the beginning and end of the vegetative period, the dose is reduced by 2 times. During the winter rest, feeding is canceled.

Haircut and shaping. Laurel tolerates pruning well, thanks to its dense crown, it can be given any shape. Pruning is best done in the fall. But the growth rate of the plant is slow, so it will take many years to grow a large specimen. For keeping as a tub plant, it is better to immediately acquire a large size.

Reproduction perhaps by sowing seeds, root layers and rooting cuttings. Seeds for sowing must be fresh, they germinate slowly, sometimes up to 6-12 months. They germinate best at a temperature of +20 ° C in the light.

Semi-lignified apical shoots with 4-5 leaves are taken on cuttings. They take root reluctantly and take a long time, up to 3-6 months or more. It is advisable to use rooting stimulants (Kornevin, Heteroauxin or Zircon) and bottom heating.

More details about plant cuttings - in the article Cutting indoor plants at home.

Sometimes the laurel produces root suckers, which can be carefully separated during transplantation.

Diseases and pests. Laurel is very susceptible to attack by the scale insect. Mealybugs can often be found on it.

About pest control measures - in the article Houseplant pests and control measures.

If the conditions of detention are not observed (too dark place, lack of coolness and waterlogging in winter, dry coma in summer, low humidity air), laurel leaves begin to turn yellow, brown dry spots form on them. In this case, you should try to optimize the conditions of detention and care.