Where does laurel grow in Crimea? Laurel: care at home. Growing laurel at home. Laurel - photo. Contraindications and side effects

home

Very often in houses and apartments you can find a well-known plant called laurel. Due to its natural characteristics, this plant can be grown at home, either in the form of a small bush or a relatively compact tree.

It is commonly called a “noble plant.” The flower received this name back in ancient times. It was quite often used to decorate wreaths, which were placed on the heads of noble people in order to show them their respect and gratitude.

Growing laurel plants at home is very simple. In addition, the plant will be able to complement not only the interior of the home, but will also perform a large number of preventive functions. For example, if you need to add an unusual flavor to cooking, then all you need to do is pick a few leaves from a tree and your dish will become much tastier and more aromatic!

If you are planning to breed indoor laurel, then it is very important to familiarize yourself with information about this flower in advance. A large number of interesting facts will be of great help to you in your daily plant care.

Landing

In order for the laurel to take root in the house from the very beginning, it is very important to plant it correctly.

The best time for this process is spring. First of all, you need to lay a small layer of drainage on the bottom of the selected pot (usually it is 3 centimeters). Then a small amount of prepared soil is poured on top. You can prepare it yourself or purchase it at a flower shop.

Laurel is not fussy, so it can easily grow in ordinary soil for houseplants.

Location and lighting

An interesting feature of the bay tree is its love of cold. It is for this reason that it is best to place the plant in a cool room.

Most experts say that it is necessary to place a laurel in the kitchen. Like, such a tree will always come in handy when preparing dishes! But at the same time, the temperature in the kitchen during cooking does not at all correspond to the preferences of the plant. Therefore, in such situations you need to be extremely careful not to damage the flower.

As for lighting, laurel tolerates bright sun very well. Since it has fairly dense and hard leaves, it is not in danger of any burns that can be caused by sunlight. After wintering, it is important to gradually accustom the flower to the bright sun. After all, during a period of rest, he becomes unaccustomed to such conditions of existence.

Pot sizes

Like most house plants, the normal existence of a bay tree will largely depend on the correct choice of flower pot. Usually, when replanting, experts advise replacing the pot with a larger one (2-3 times larger than what was used before).

If you know that the flower is growing quite intensively, then you will need to purchase a pot 4-5 centimeters larger than the standard one.

When choosing housing for a laurel, it is also worth considering the material from which the pot is made and its stability.

The soil

In order for laurel to grow well at home, when planting it, it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the issue of soil preparation.

By its nature, laurel is not capricious, so for its cultivation you can use soil that will be quite nutritious and perfectly permeable to liquid. It is best to pay attention to the soil that is intended for cacti. “Universal” soil is also suitable for planting.

You can prepare the soil for the plant yourself. To do this, you will need to mix leaf soil, turf soil, humus, coarse sand and peat. All ingredients must comply with the proportion 2:1:2:1:1. You can also add a little charcoal to this mixture.

Remember, if a plant suddenly stops growing, this indicates that the soil is not suitable for it, or the flower lacks fertilizer and feeding.

Transfer

If the plant is young, then it should definitely be replanted every year. Since the root system of the bay tree does not develop very quickly, the pot is most often not replaced. In a transplant situation, the issue of changing the tank must be decided on site.

When you decide to leave a flower in the same pot, then caring for it should become more diligent.

When the plant is 5 years old, the replanting procedure can be reduced and replanting can be done once every 2-4 years.

In order for the plant to receive nutrients, it is necessary to partially replace the soil. To do this, you will need to remove the top layer of soil (5 centimeters) and fill the flower with new soil.

Rare transplants very often become the reason that in a few years, the laurel can grow very much. In such situations, the transplantation procedure can cause a lot of difficulties and questions!

Upon completion of the transplant, do not forget that the plant needs to be watered. Afterwards, it is also important to observe the transplanted flower for several days. If no negative changes are noticed within a few days, it means that the laurel has adapted to the new growth conditions!

Fertilizer and feeding

Laurel needs to be fertilized throughout most of the year. Basically, the feeding procedure is carried out from March to October.
Laurel accepts fertilizers of mineral and organic origin quite well. For a better effect, you can use liquid fertilizers, which must be diluted in a small amount of purified water before use.
Fertilization is carried out once every few weeks.

Watering

Indoor laurel is a fan of abundant watering. But in this situation, this does not mean that the plant needs to be filled with a large volume of liquid every day. Most often, it is necessary to water the flower in summer and spring. If the moisture in the pot does not evaporate in a timely manner, this can trigger the process of rotting of the root system. Which in turn will lead to the death of the flower.

With the onset of the first cold weather, the frequency of watering decreases significantly. In winter it is very important to stop feeding. After all, it is during this period of time that the plant prepares to bear fruit.

If your laurel does not need to be dormant and blooms all year round, then watering it occurs without much change!

Temperature

Indoor laurel comes from subtropical countries. For this reason, most often the plant adapts to the corresponding temperature conditions of these regions. The plant will survive warm summers and cold winters without any problems. Temperature changes do not pose any danger to the laurel plant. Therefore, such qualities can be considered the most important in the process of growing a flower.

In hot weather, the room temperature can fluctuate from 20 to 26 degrees.

In winter, the mark on the thermometer can drop to 5 with a + reading.

When severe frosts and sub-zero temperatures occur, the laurel will also be able to survive. This applies to those flowers that were previously planted in open soil. In such cases, the roots of the plants are much stronger and more protected from negative external influences. When a flower grows in an ordinary pot, sub-zero temperatures can cause the laurel to die.

Air humidity

In order for the laurel to actively grow and bloom, it is very important to provide it with a high level of room humidity. To implement these requirements at home, the plant will simply need to be sprayed more often, bathed with small streams of water (you can use a shower), and also place moistened expanded clay or moss under a tray.

If the air is too dry, the flower becomes very weak, making it an easy prey for various types of pests.

Trimming

Laurel is by nature a very beautiful plant with unusual shapes. That is why the flower does not need to be cut.

If pruning is carried out, the crown of the plant can be changed beyond recognition. It can be given a wide variety of shapes: cone-shaped, oval, square, etc.

When the plant stops actively growing (usually at the end of August), it is necessary to trim the mature leaves. Once dried, they make an excellent seasoning for any dish.

The places that remain on the plant after pruning (they are called “eyes”) are restored over the winter. And with the onset of spring, the flower can please you with a large number of new shoots. When pruning, it is necessary to get rid of areas that are located in the upper part of the plant.

Dangerous diseases and possible pests

First of all, you will need to remove the plant from its “neighbors”. This will prevent damage to other flowers.

Scale insects, in turn, have a negative effect on the condition of the leaves and trunk of the laurel. At the same time, the leaves change their color to yellow and begin to fall off quickly.

If the plant is infected, the pest must be eliminated using cotton wool. It is also recommended to spray with insecticidal solutions. Actellik 0.15% or Carboforce are perfect for this. If the plant is severely damaged, the procedure is repeated 7-10 days after the first treatment.

Bloom

Most often, laurel blooms in spring. At this time, flowers are formed on it, which settle in the axils of the leaves themselves. That is why they are compared to the shape of an umbrella. Since the plant during this period very much resembles a “rain protection product”.

The flowers are quite small and do not differ in any unusual characteristics. More often they acquire white, yellow or cream shades. Female plants can also produce fruits that are colored blue. Such berries are not edible. Most likely, they serve as an additional decoration for the laurel.

Reproduction

In home cultivation, laurel can be propagated by cuttings and seeds.

Rooting of cuttings lasts approximately 3 months. The same time will be needed for the seeds to sprout.

To propagate by seeds, it is necessary to prepare them in the autumn. They should be stored in a cool place (refrigerator). It is recommended to sow seeds in February. A prerequisite for climbing is regular moistening of the soil and maintaining high humidity in the room.

When using cuttings, rooting must be done in March. To do this, shoots measuring 10 centimeters are cut off. After which the cutting is placed in the ground, most of which consists of sand. To quickly strengthen horses, you can use fertilizers. The planted cuttings must be covered with a plastic bag or a regular jar. During propagation by cuttings, the room temperature should be no less than 24-25 degrees.

Rest period

The dormant period of indoor laurel occurs in winter. Although there are cases where the plant continues to actively grow and bloom all year round.

If all the rules of basic plant care have not been followed in winter, the flower may shed its leaves. Don’t be afraid of this and get rid of it in advance. With the onset of spring, the plant will gain strength and very quickly restore its appearance. In this case, you also need to spray the laurel.

Plant toxicity and beneficial properties

The phytoncides contained in laurel make the plant very useful for the human body. They help kill various pathogens and bacteria.

A decoction based on laurel leaves stabilizes appetite and has a beneficial effect on the digestive process. Also, using such a decoction will help you cope with kidney disease (especially if stones are detected).

Most of the healing properties of laurel allow it to be used in modern medicine and cosmetology. It has a positive effect on the immune system and can be an excellent seasoning for food.

Indoor laurel is not poisonous. It poses a danger only if it has been pre-treated with disinfecting solutions.

Having decided to plant laurel in your home, you find a faithful assistant. As in life, so in the kitchen!

Today we’ll talk about a spice that is probably present in the arsenal of any housewife, and the stronger half of humanity, when preparing their favorite dumplings, rarely does without it.

We are talking about bay leaves, the cultivation of which at home will be the topic of our conversation today.

About the conditions for growing bay leaves

If you are planning to grow bay leaves at home, you first need to understand that the leaves for seasoning are given to us by the noble laurel - an evergreen tree, or less often a shrub, that grows in the tropical zone of our planet. For example, in Russia, this plant is found naturally only in Crimea or the Krasnodar Territory. In other regions, growing laurel in open ground is not practiced.

Therefore, the conditions for growing bay leaves at home should be truly tropical:

• temperature not lower than 20 degrees, optimally +25;
• high air humidity;
• short daylight hours with bright lighting.

This is achieved by placing plants on southern windowsills with regular spraying or using artificial air humidifiers.

Attention! Laurel will grow well on northern windowsills, only it will be less lush with a sparser crown.

Growing on a windowsill in the summer can be combined with taking plants out onto a balcony or loggia, and if you have a country house or a summer cottage, you can take the plant with you, as they say, into the fresh air. Naturally, when returning from the site in the fall, you should not forget the plant at the dacha, but you need to take it with you to your winter apartment.

Laurel propagation

To get your laurel tree, you can go two ways:

1. Growing bay leaves from seeds.
2. Growing by rooting cuttings.
3. Horizontal layering.
4. Purchasing ready-made seedlings.

Let's consider all the methods in more detail.

Seed propagation of bay leaves

Laurel seeds can be obtained in two ways:

• buy in a specialized store;
• collected from laurel branches sold in markets as spices.

It is best to sow seeds in the ground in early spring or autumn; in summer, the germinal processes in the seeds slow down a little and you simply cannot wait for germination. Sow the seeds in small seedling containers.

Before sowing, the soil is moistened and slightly compacted so that the seed rests on a moist and dense bed. After this, it is sprinkled with a layer of nutrient soil one centimeter thick and moistened again. Cover the container with a suitable lid and place it in a warm place with a temperature of 25-27 degrees, for example, next to a radiator or on a hanging kitchen cabinet.

Seeds take a very long time to germinate, sometimes it can take several months. All this time, the container with crops must be periodically ventilated and, if necessary, moistened.

The soil for growing laurel does not have to be very oily and nutritious, but great attention must be paid to its mechanical composition. The best mixture for growing laurel is a mixture of the following components:

• forest turf land;
• sand;
• peat.

To add airiness and looseness, you can use coconut substrate or today's popular soil disintegrants, such as perlite or vermiculite.

It is very important that the roots receive free access to air; this is one of the conditions for the successful cultivation of this useful plant.

Attention! Laurel does not tolerate waterlogged soil, so be sure to place some kind of drainage material at the bottom of the container.

After the true leaves appear, the plants are planted in a larger container and cared for, like other plants, with timely watering, fertilizing and replanting.

Taking bay leaf cuttings

Cuttings of noble laurel are no different from the process on currants or gooseberries. Here's how it's done:

1. We cut non-lignified green cuttings 6-10 centimeters long. In this case, we make the lower cut under the bud oblique, and the upper one – a centimeter above the bud – straight.
2. We leave two top leaves on the cuttings, and we shorten them by half for less evaporation of moisture.
3. We bury the cuttings 1-2 centimeters into the soil of the pot.
4. Cover the pot with film with holes.
5. We ventilate regularly.

Rooting will occur in about a month. After this, you can transplant the finished seedling into a permanent container.

Bay leaf layering

If you have an adult plant, you can get a new plant by pinning one of the side shoots to the soil. In this case, an additional container with soil is used. The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Place a container filled with nutritious soil next to a laurel plant growing in a pot.
2. Bend the young branch so that the lowest point of the bend is placed in a new container to a depth of 10-15 centimeters.
3. At this point, the branches make a cut about 4-5 centimeters long.
4. The branch is placed in a pot with soil and pinned. The end of the layer is tied to a vertical support.
5. Fill the cut area with soil to the top of the container and water it.

After some time, depending on environmental conditions, a new sprout will appear from under the ground. After this, the rooted branch can be separated from the mother plant.

Purchased laurel seedlings

Everything is very simple here. The purchased plant needs to be transplanted into a large container with its own soil and grown as usual.

Laurel care

Caring for laurel is easy. You need to water the bush in time and spray it with warm water. Twice a year you can feed the plant with some organic matter.

Advice! It is better to give fertilizing no earlier than three months after transplantation.

As it grows, it is necessary to transplant the bush into a new larger container. At first, this is done every year; after 4-5 years of growing season, the laurel slows down its growth, and it is replanted once every four years.

An important job is decorative pruning of the bush. Laurel is very responsive to pruning, and you can shape its crown to your liking.

Attention! Regularly picking leaves for spices begins in the fourth year of the laurel’s growing season.

At home, diseases rarely appear in the noble laurel, but they still occur. This occurs due to low temperatures or waterlogging of the soil coma. In any case, you need to consult with specialists or read the relevant literature.

Video - how to grow a bay tree at home

Today we learned how to plant bay leaves and grow them at home. Good luck with your gardening endeavors.

Laurel is the most famous evergreen tree or bush that came to us from the Mediterranean. In Ancient Greece, this beautiful plant was called daphne, in honor of the nymph Daphne. Captivated by love for her, Apollo wove a wreath from the laurel, which became his integral accessory, and from here came the glory of the laurel as a symbol of triumph and victory.

In our country, this same plant is the best and favorite kitchen spice. After all, without laurel it will not be possible to prepare delicious homemade soup, fish soup or borscht and, of course, aromatic main courses. It has become a common ingredient in preparing vegetables for the winter and pickles.

This irreplaceable plant can be grown quite easily at home. Laurel is very easy to grow and will require very little effort to grow normally. If we can grow laurel at home from seeds or in another way, then it will not only become useful as a spice, but will be a spectacular home ornamental plant.

Laurel: description of a spicy plant

In nature, laurel can be either a tree or a very tall shrub, 9-11 m high. The thickness of its trunk can reach 40-45 cm. When growing laurel at home, it grows only up to 2 m. Its bark and shoots are smooth, mostly brown in color .

The leaves of the laurel are whole, straight, bare, short-petioled and entire, reaching up to 20 cm in length and up to 5 cm in width. They are dark green above and lighter below. They have a very pleasant spicy aroma. Laurel flowers are small, yellowish and unisexual, appearing in inflorescences at the ends of branches, 6-12 staminate and 2-3 pistillate.

Did you know? If you grow laurel at home, it may not bloom at all, and if it does, it will bloom in late spring.

Under natural conditions, laurel grows for more than 100 years; when grown at home, the lifespan of a laurel tree can be up to 15 years.

Is it possible to grow laurel indoors?

When grown at home, laurel is a noble plant; it is very hardy and easy to care for. Therefore, absolutely anyone can grow it at home.

But still, you should not start development; caring for indoor laurel, although minimal, is extremely necessary. When grown correctly, you will have a great plant that will reward you for the effort you put into developing it with lush, healthy foliage.

Necessary conditions for a bay tree

In indoor conditions, the Noble Laurel is best suited for planting. For the healthy development of a laurel tree, in addition to standard care, you will need timely pruning of the crown and spraying so that the laurel feels comfortable. Laurel, like any indoor plant, requires attention to disease and pest control.

Location and light

The bay tree needs a well-lit place with diffused light. Since this plant is shade-tolerant, it can be kept in a shaded place, but when grown in diffused light, the laurel may bloom, and the bush itself will be denser than when grown in a shaded place.

During the hot season, you should avoid constant exposure to direct sunlight. In summer, the laurel can be safely taken out into the garden or onto the balcony. In an apartment, pots can be placed on the floor near the windows, in the hallway or hall. The plant should be regularly ventilated, but do not create constant drafts.

Air temperature and humidity

In summer, the plant will feel great outdoors, it is unpretentious, but it will benefit from fresh air. The most comfortable temperature for laurel is 15-20 °C. In summer, the bush needs to spray the leaves twice a week to maintain a subtropical climate.

Starting in autumn, the plant needs rest. The dormant period for laurel at home is created artificially from October to March. The laurel should be placed in a place with low light and humidity. The temperature should not be higher than +10 °C and not lower than -5 °C.

Did you know? The dormant period is created to prevent the growth of weak, unwanted shoots that weaken the bay tree.

In the spring, if the frosts have stopped, then from April the plant can already be taken out into the garden. If it is still cold at this time, then it is better to keep it in the house until the warm period and do not forget to spray it at least once a week.

Soil requirements for successful growth

Bay leaf seedlings, after we can grow them from seeds, will need to be transplanted. When transplanting a seedling into a pot, be sure to fill it with a good drainage layer of expanded clay. Laurel loves moist soil, but stagnation of water should not be allowed, as this can lead to the death of the plant.

The soil should be light; any version of the universal soil found on sale is suitable for laurel. Your own soil for planting laurel can be prepared from two parts of turf soil, one part of leaf soil, and half a part of fine, well-washed river sand. Before planting the seedling, the soil can be heated in the oven at a sufficient temperature for disinfection. Too high a temperature during heating should be avoided so as not to destroy all beneficial microflora.

How to plant laurel, methods of propagation of laurel tree

Bay leaf is an indispensable ingredient in the kitchen of any housewife. It is an inexpensive spice, but it is much more pleasant when the leaves of this plant are grown and dried in a dish. Let's look at how you can grow laurel from seeds, cuttings and dividing the bush at home.

Sowing seeds

In order to grow a laurel tree as best and as efficiently as possible, it should be planted from seeds brought from the south. The best time to start sowing is mid-February, early March. Laurel seeds should be planted 1 cm deep in the prepared soil. The soil temperature should be approximately 20 °C. In this case, the seeds will sprout in 3-4 months.

Before planting laurel from seeds into the ground, the seeds can be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate for 3-5 days, this will speed up the germination process. After planting the seeds in the soil, the pot should be placed in a warm place, well moistened and covered with polyethylene or glass.

Before the sprouts appear, you will need to remove the polyethylene from the pot to ventilate it for at least half an hour a day. It is also necessary to monitor soil moisture, it should be moderate, and do not allow water to stagnate. In dry soil the seeds will die, and in too wet soil they will rot.

Important! Watering laurel seeds and sprouts should be done with settled and warm water. The water temperature should be 4-5 °C above room temperature.

When the first green shoots appear, the cover from the pot must be removed, but still continue to monitor the soil moisture. When the first pair of leaves is formed on the sprouts, the seedlings need to be transplanted into a larger container; 1 part of humus and ½ part of peat can be added to the previously prepared soil.

After transplanting the seedling, the plant must be placed in a dark place for 2-3 weeks, remembering to maintain soil moisture. After 2-3 weeks, the seedling is moved to the light to begin its active growth.

How to plant a laurel by dividing the bush

You need to divide the bay bush very carefully; on each branch separated from the main plant, some viable roots should remain. Division should be carried out only at a time when the laurel is in a dormant period, and this is from October to March. The laurel is divided after 3-5 years of its growth. It is worth dividing the bush into a small number of parts for the first time. Separating 2-3 branches from a three-year-old laurel will be quite enough.

Important! It is categorically not recommended to divide the laurel bush during its development; a weak, not strengthened plant may die.

Laurel cuttings

You can propagate laurel either by seeds or by cuttings, but this is much more difficult to do than growing laurel from seeds. Laurel cuttings are carried out in late spring and early summer. Annual and mature laurel shoots are used as cuttings.

Cuttings 7-9 cm long are cut from the middle or lower part of the bush at an oblique angle. The lower leaves from the cuttings must be removed and the upper ones cut in half. Then the cuttings are planted in the substrate. The substrate is prepared from equal parts of leaf soil and bog moss; it is also recommended to add half a part of sand.

Place expanded clay drainage at the bottom of the pot, cover it with substrate and thoroughly moisten it. The cuttings are planted 2 cm deep and covered with polyethylene or a regular glass jar.

The seedling must be sprayed and ventilated every day. You should also ensure that the soil is constantly moist. With proper care, the cuttings will take root in 1-2 months.

How to properly care for a bay tree

After planting the laurel, the work does not end, because when growing, you need to regularly take care of its condition, water and fertilize the soil. And to create a decorative appearance, it needs to be trimmed.

Watering and fertilizing the plant

Watering the laurel is important at any stage of its development. When planting seeds and for the development of roots in cuttings, you need to use warm, soft and settled water. Watering an adult plant should also be done with settled water, but the seasonal intensity of watering the tree should be distinguished.

In spring and summer, laurel needs constant watering to avoid drying out of the soil. In autumn, watering is reduced. In winter, it must be strictly limited, and if the laurel is in a room with a temperature below 6 °C, then watering should be stopped altogether.

Young plants need to spray their leaves for better growth; adult plants are sprayed to eliminate dust on the leaves and crown of the tree. The laurel needs feeding not only at the time of transplantation, but throughout its entire life period. An adult laurel is a slow growing tree, so in order to avoid depletion of the plant, you need to change the top 3-4 cm of the soil in which it grows.

Syn: fragrant laurel, real laurel.

Bay laurel is an aromatic evergreen tree with a pyramidal crown, glossy green leaves and small yellow-green flowers collected in umbellate inflorescences. The plant has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antibacterial, astringent and diuretic properties, stimulates cardiac activity, motor and secretory activity of the gastrointestinal tract.

Ask the experts a question

Flower formula

Laurel flower formula: (x)♂♀H(3)L(3)T9-12Pω.

In medicine

The pharmacopoeial article dedicated to the fruits of the noble laurel was included in the first edition of the Russian Pharmacopoeia, published in 1866. Bobki, as the laurel fruits were called at that time, and the boba ointment obtained from them were excluded from the Russian Pharmacopoeia only in the VII edition, which was published after the revolution and civil war in Soviet Russia. Currently, bay laurel is not a pharmacopoeial plant and is not included in the Register of Medicines of the Russian Federation. However, bay leaves are a popular and legal herbal dietary supplement, and the plant's oil can be purchased at pharmacies, where it is approved for sale as a cosmetic. Laurus nobilis is capable of stimulating the secretory and motor activity of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiac activity, and has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, antipyretic and astringent effects.

Contraindications and side effects

Noble laurel has a number of contraindications. Infusions, extracts and decoctions of bay leaves are contraindicated for pregnant, lactating women and children under 5 years of age. They should not be used by persons with urolithiasis, acute or chronic renal failure, various nephritis, or severe diabetes. At the same time, the use of “laurel” as a spice for these categories of people in moderate doses is allowed. Before using bay laurel for medicinal purposes, you should consult your doctor.

In cooking and food industry

Laurel leaves and oil are widely used in world cooking. Laurel leaves, which Russian chefs often affectionately call “lavrushka,” add a pleasant light aroma and a bitter, piquant taste to dishes. They are used both fresh and dried, sometimes ground into powder. Bay leaves are used to season sauces, gravies, broths and soups; they are added to meat, fish and vegetable main courses and appetizers. It is an indispensable spice in pickles, pickling and canning. Bay leaf is an essential component of many famous spicy mixtures, including bouquet garni and suneli hops. In the European culinary tradition, bay leaves are sometimes added to sweet dishes - compotes, jams, desserts. The food industry uses bay leaves in the production of sausages, hams, pates, various sauces and canned meat and fish. Laurel oil is used in the production of liqueur and confectionery.

In the cosmetic industry

Fatty and essential oils of laurel nobilis have found application in the cosmetic industry. The famous Aleppo soap, which has a beneficial effect on dry skin of the face and body, promotes gentle cleansing and healing of wounds, disappearance of acne and restoration of normal hydro-lipid balance, mainly consists of laurel oil. This oil is included in care products for oily, problem skin; it fights acne, heals wounds well, and relieves inflammation. Laurel oil is added to shampoos, balms and masks designed to combat oily seborrhea; this oil strengthens hair, stimulates its growth, and fights split ends. It also works well in anti-cellulite body creams. Massage oil made using laurel oil helps relieve pain after strenuous workouts and helps with sprains and bruises. Laurel laurel extract is also added to toothpastes, as well as to mouth rinses, where it plays the role of an anti-inflammatory and disinfectant component and eliminates unpleasant odors. Since the plant is able to “resist” profuse sweating, laurel is a popular additive in deodorants and antiperspirants.

In other areas

In aromatherapy

Laurel laurel essential oil is used in aromatherapy. It is believed that it can relieve nervous tension, fight depression, fatigue, have a mild hypnotic effect, improve memory, and stimulate the immune system.

In other areas

Laurel laurel essential oil is one of the industrial sources of camphor and cineole, which are also used for medicinal purposes.

In countries with a mild Mediterranean climate, laurel is grown as a garden and ornamental plant. Its bright evergreen pyramidal crown is easy to shape, and the trees delight the eye with spherical, box-shaped and other shapes given to them by landscape designers. In countries with harsher climates, laurel is grown in greenhouses and winter gardens, and there are also varieties that can be grown as a houseplant. Laurel performs not only a decorative function, but also enriches the air with phytoncides. The health resorts of Crimea largely owe their healing effects on tuberculosis patients to the laurel thickets.

Classification

Laurel (lat. Laurus nobilis) is one of three (according to outdated data, four) species included in the genus of evergreen trees Laurel (lat. Laurus). The genus belongs to the extensive family of flowering plants Laurels (lat. Lauraceae).

Botanical description

An evergreen tree, or evergreen shrub, the noble laurel can reach a height of 15 meters. Laurel has erect, bare shoots and brown, smooth bark. The root of Laurel nobilis is located shallow. The leafy crown usually has a pyramidal shape. Simple short-petioled leathery leaves are alternate, entire, reaching 20 cm in length and 4 cm in width. The elliptical or lanceolate leaf blade is narrowed at the base, glossy, dark green above, and much lighter below. Unisexual small pale green-yellow flowers of Laurel nobilis (up to 1 cm in diameter) at the ends of the branches are collected in 6-12 pieces in umbellate axillary inflorescences. The formula of the laurel flower is (x)♂♀H(3)L(3)T9-12Pω. The fruit of Laurel nobilis is an ovoid or elliptical dark purple or black drupe. It reaches 2 cm in length and contains one rather large seed - the seeds of the noble laurel.

Spreading

The homeland of Laurus nobilis is the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. This is a relict plant that appeared on the planet in the Tertiary period of the Cenozoic era. The plant is cultivated as a valuable crop in many countries, including Greece. Turkey, France, Spain, Portugal, Yugoslavia, Albania. In the territory of the former USSR, bay laurel is cultivated in the Caucasus and Crimea. The plant prefers a subtropical climate, in which the air temperature rarely drops below – 12°C. It can grow on rocky soils, dry and steppe meadows, and mountain steppes. In places where it grows naturally, bay laurel is often part of a plant group characteristic of the Mediterranean, called "maquis" and representing thickets of evergreen shrubs.

Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

Medicinal raw materials are leaves, fruits, as well as fatty and essential oils of laurel nobilis. Leaves are plucked from young branches after the plant begins to flower, which occurs at the very beginning of spring. It is during this period that they contain the most essential oils. Leaves should be cut on dry days when there is no moisture on them. Dry the leaves, spread out in a thin layer, away from sunlight or in dehydrators set at a temperature of 35-45°C. Laurel essential oil is obtained from the fresh leaves and flowers of the plant. The raw materials are crushed and the resulting green mass is subjected to hydrodistillation. Industrially, through supercritical fluid extraction with natural carbon dioxide, an extract of laurel nobilis is obtained from the leaves, containing an increased concentration of essential oil.

The fruits of Laurel nobilis ripen in late autumn. By cold pressing, as well as hot pressing, fatty laurel oil is obtained from them - an emerald green granular soft mass. Crushed fresh fruits of the plant are included in ointments.

Chemical composition

The chemical composition of laurel has been well studied. All parts of the plant are rich in essential oil, the content of which in the leaves reaches 5%, and in the fruits – 1%. Also found in fruits and leaves are resins, bitterness, tannins, vitamins and minerals. Among the vitamins are B vitamins, vitamins A, C and PP, among macro- and microelements are calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, selenium. The leaves contain acids - acetic, caproic, valeric. The fruits of laurel nobilis are rich in fatty oil - up to 45%; they also contain starch, sugars, mucus, laurane hydrocarbon and phytosterol.

Laurel laurel fatty oil contains mainly lauric acid or, scientifically, laurel acid triglyceride. It also contains triglycerides of various acids, more specifically stearic, oleic, myristic, eicosenoic and palmitic. The fatty oil of laurel contains both resins and phytosterols, as well as essential oil. The emerald green color of the oil is due to the presence of chlorophyll in it.

In turn, the essential oil of laurel nobilis consists of such active substances as cineol, camphene, limonene, α- and β-pinene, α- and β-phellandrene, geraniol, terpineol, myrcene, sabinene and cadinene.

Pharmacological properties

The medicinal properties of laurel have become the subject of a number of scientific studies. It has been experimentally proven that the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of bay laurel essential oil is comparable to analgesics and non-steroidal drugs. It has been found that the oil can have a mild sedative effect. In experiments on mice, Laurel laurel essential oil showed anticonvulsant activity. It protected rodents from tonic seizures induced using maximal shock and pentylenetetrazole. The experiment proved the anti-ulcerogenic properties of bay laurel extract. The antibacterial effect of the plant is due to the sesquiterpenes contained in laurel leaves.

Use in folk medicine

Leaves, fruits, extracts, fatty and essential oils of laurel nobilis have found wide application in folk medicine. It is recommended to grind fresh bay leaves into a paste and use them as a wound-healing and anti-burn agent. It is chewed to get rid of stomatitis. Water infusions are prepared from the dried leaves of the plant, which are drunk to strengthen the immune system, dropped into the ears to relieve inflammation and pain, and used as a diuretic. This infusion is an effective remedy for joint pain, chronic gastritis, including cholangitis and cholecystitis. For sore throats and colds, inhalations are made with the leaves of bay laurel, gargling a sore throat with decoctions of the plant, sometimes steamed bay leaves are used as a kind of mustard plasters to help with coughs. For insomnia and other sleep disorders, to relieve nervous tension, for inflammation of the bladder and to prevent colds, it is recommended to take baths with a decoction of bay leaves.

Laurel essential oil is often used in aromatherapy to purify the air in a room, especially if there is a patient with tuberculosis in it. It also helps against insomnia and nervous fatigue, and strengthens the immune system. When used internally, as a gargle, or in inhalation, laurel essential oil helps with coughs, acting as an expectorant; it is used for pneumonia, bronchitis, acute respiratory infections, and sore throat. The oil is used orally for constipation, bloating, and indigestion. As a massage, laurel essential oil is recommended for vascular spasms, dizziness, pain in muscles and joints caused by myositis, arthritis, rheumatism and radiculitis, and neuralgia. The oil is used externally for various diseases and skin lesions.

An ointment is obtained from the fruits or from the fatty oil of laurel, which is effective for dermatitis, scabies, eczema, and mycoses. This ointment is recommended to be rubbed in for sprains, bruises, dislocations, and problems with ligaments. This ointment is used for rheumatism.

Historical reference

The sacred laurel, according to the ancient Greeks, promotes insight. They put it under the pillow to see prophetic dreams, and smoked it on altars in front of the Pythia. The Romans believed that the plant could save from the wrath of Jupiter, that is, from lightning strikes.

The beneficial properties of laurel were described by many ancient healers. Thus, Hippocrates recommended using laurel oil against tetanus (convulsions), and a decoction of the leaves to reduce pain during labor. Eastern medical luminaries also knew about the healing power of laurel. Avicenna wrote that bay leaves help with shortness of breath, joint pain and relieve tension, while the bark and fruits, having a diuretic effect, “drive” stones from the liver and kidneys.

In Rus', laurel has long been called daphnia, named after a Greek nymph. Initially, the leaves of the plant were imported by merchants along with other exotic spices, but when the Russians conquered Crimea, their own plantations of this valuable plant appeared. The fruits of the noble laurel were called beans, and the ointment obtained from it was called bean. It was this drug that was described in the Russian Pharmacopoeia. It was recommended to rub it in for radiculitis, paralysis, myositis, to strengthen the nerves, for lice and scabies.

Literature

1. O. S. Blaze “Decorative foliage indoor plants”, Olma press, Moscow, 2002 – p. 19-20 s.

2. Lavrenov V.K., Lavrenova G.V. “Encyclopedia of medicinal plants of traditional medicine, St. Petersburg, Publishing House “Neva”, 2003 - 126 p.

3. Muravyova D.A., Gammerman A.F. “Tropical and subtropical medicinal plants”, “Medicine”, Moscow, 1974 – 33-34 p.

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