WNTS/ENTS/Steve/Jenny- For the record, Umbellaria californica is an excellent wood for woodworkers with wonderful grain and durability...it does lead to alarming aromatic qualities due to it's "carminative properties" <grin>, but as to it's toxicity, note the following:
Bay; Laurel (Laurus Nobilis; Umbellaria californica) Categories USDA Zones: (7)890 Plant Type: Tree Yield: Fair Storable: 5 months Bears: Promptly Shape: Mounded Height: 10-25ft Spread: ? Lifespan: ? Growth: Slow Pruning: Optional Origin: Europe Food Type: Herb, Appearance: Evergreen,Ornamental, Uses: Cooked,Dried,Shade,Hedge,Windbreak,Good Bugs, Misc. Features: Self-productive,Seedlings,Fragrant,Pottable, Prefers: None Rejects: Wind,Soggy soil, Problems: [MINIMAL], Cycles: Continuous harvest Harvest & Use Bay leaves can be picked any time of year. They ward off evil spirits (but you gotta Believe), weevils, fleas, and lice. They also make themselves useful in soups, casseroles, and (I read this on the Internet) martinis. Supposedly, they go well in uncolas (7-Up, Sprite, etc.): Experiment on your kid. The effect of a leaf in soup is intensified by mincing. The flavor is less intense when the leaves are fresh. The laurel makes a good hedge when regularly clipped. The flowers attract bees. Many other plants with the name "laurel" are not true laurels and as a pleasant surprise tend to be toxic, e.g., cherry laurel, rose laurel, and mountain laurel. However, California bay (AKA Oregon myrtle) is a pungent, but safe, substitute for sweet bay. Appearance A broad-leafed evergreen tree reaching 35' in height in zones 9 and 10, less in colder regions. Young leaves are elliptical, dark glossy green, growing dull with age. Cultivation Bay will grow in most soils; ideal pH is 6.2. It prefers sun but will tolerate some shade. Hardy to about 5ยก F. Propagate easily from cuttings of current year's growth. Comment Sweet bay, the culinary standard, is L. nobilis. California bay is U. californica. Both contain eugenol, the active ingredient in oil of bay (also oil of clove). Eugenol is carminative, which is science-talk for "It makes you burp and fart" (Atkins:135). Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:50:18 -0500 Subject: Re: [ENTS] Forests/Trees in opera (go ahead and delete...) From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Jenny, ENTS- Umbellularia is a really dangerous plant, IMHO--the aromatic principle it has doesn't cure headaches, but causes them--sort of like Vick's Vapo-Rub combined with oxycontin, on steroids. Walking through a woods might be pleasant, but handling the cut branches for Christmas wreaths is very distressing. I'll chew a Sassafras root any day, but I'll leave the other Laurel family members alone. Steve On Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 11:31 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: Nice looking tree. Another candidate for the Be My Umbrella, Tree. Thanks Don. Umbellaria californica (Pepperwood, Oregon Myrtle, California Laurel, California Bay Laurel, or...headache tree!) I assume this species could grow in the soil of Persia circa 500 BC? And if there were black-tailed deer in Persia, they love this tree so it would be good for hunting parties. In addition to the tree, Xerxes loves Romilda, but Romilda and Arsamene are in love. And Amastre (the long-suffering mezzo, the parts I usually "get" to play) is most passionately in love with Xerses. It all works out in this particular opera... pics of tree and a twig w/leaves Jenny -- Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -- Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/ -- Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected]
