BAY LAUREL ESSENTIAL OIL

Basic

Plant/History

Uses

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Safety

About the Plant

Laurus nobilis from the family Lauraceae is native to the southern Mediterranean region. It is grown commercially for its aromatic leaves in Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, and Mexico. Bay laurel is a pyramid-shaped tree or large shrub with aromatic, evergreen leaves and shiny gray bark. It can reach 60 ft. in height in its native range, but generally is much smaller, 3-10 ft. tall. in culture. Bay laurel sometimes produces suckers from the base. The leaves are elliptic, 3-4 in. long, rather thick and leathery, and shiny dark green. Leaves have sharp edges and can easily cut. Clusters of small yellow flowers are produced in spring, followed, on the female plants, by shiny black or purple berries about 0.5 in. long.

History

Bay laurel is the true laurel of Greek and Roman mythology. A poet laureate is an accomplished poet, and the Roman poet, Ovid, retold the story of the Greek nymph, Daphne, who was transformed into a laurel tree by her father, Peneus, so that she could avoid the amorous pursuit of the god, Apollo. (Cupid had shot an arrow into the fair maiden's heart so that she would not love Apollo.) Thereafter, Apollo wore a wreath of laurel to show his love for Daphne. Laurel has always symbolized victory and merit, and a baccalaureate (baca lauri, Latin for "laurel berry") still is a symbol of accomplishment. Bay laurel has been credited with magical properties, like protecting from witches, the devil and lightning.

Aromatherapy: Because of the high concentration of phenols, Bay Laurel can be useful as an antiseptic and as a respiratory oil. Recommended for inhalation use because of potential adverse skin reaction.

Perfumery: Bay Laurel has not achieved any real significance for perfumery, but it has found its way into air freshners and men's colognes and blends well with citrus, spice, and conifer oils as well as clary sage, rosemary and other herbaceous notes.

May be skin sensitising. Cases of allergic dermal reactions have been reported. It is suggested to use no more than 1% dilution fo rskin applications. While one R.I.F.M. report, using 10% dilution of Bay Laurel essential oil, caused no irritation or sentisization in 1975, there have been mixed reports ranging from "very weak allergen" to sensitization and including reports of contact sensitivity and contact allergy.

The information provided on these pages is not a substitute for necessary medical care, nor intended as medical advice. Always keep aromatic extracts tightly closed and in a cool, dark place, out of reach of children. Never ingest aromatic extracts. Always dilute aromatic extracts when applying topically and avoid areas around eyes or mucous membranes. If redness or irritation occurs, stop using immediately and contact your health provider if necessary.