Persea borbonia
red bay
Family
Lauraceae
Leaf Arrangement
alternate
Leaf Attachment
petiolate
Leaf Margin
entire
Leaf Type
simple
Leaf Shape
elliptic, lanceolate, oblanceolate
Growth Form
tree
Flower Color
yellow
Flower Month
May - October
Height (meters)
20.0
Milky Sap
No
Armed/Unarmed
Unarmed
Origin
native
Lifespan
perennial
Leaf Retention
Semi-evergreen
Wetland Class
FACW
Wetland Coefficient of Conservatism
8
Field Characters
No hairs on leaf veins below leaf. Mid-vein not raised and not rust colored. Leaves are aromatic when crushed. Look-alike: Magnolia virginiana- leaves are silver below and not spicy when crushed.
Habitat
Mesic to xeric woodlands, swamps, along streams, and about shore bogs.