Laurel trees, also called bay laurel, have been grown and used since ancient times, beginning with the Greeks. Native to the Mediterranean, the laurel is a broadleaf evergreen that thrives in mild, slightly dry climates. The leaves of bay laurel trees are used in cooking as bay leaves. The leaves are best when dried, and the older leaves have more flavor than the young leaves, according to Jennifer Nelson, horticulturist with the University of Illinois. Laurel trees require only minor pruning to keep them healthy.
Instructions
1. Remove any old flower clusters from the laurel tree as they fade.
2. Cut off any dead, diseased or damaged branches at the branch collar of the laurel tree. The branch collar is the part of the branch that bulges out slightly right before the branch meets the trunk. Remove these branches whenever they occur.
3. Remove any weak or crossing branches from the laurel tree in the late winter or early spring with the pruning shears or a pruning saw. Cut off the branches at the branch collar.
4. Prune to shape, if desired, once a year in the early spring.
