The California bay laurel, scientific name umbellularia californica, is a large broadleaf tree belonging to the laurel family.
The tree is evergreen, reaching a height of 30 meters and a trunk up to 90 centimeters thick.
Also called Oregon myrtle, pepperwood, spicebush, cinnamon bush, peppernut tree, headache tree, mountain laurel, and balm of heaven, and it is native to the coastal forests and hills of the Gulf of California laurel and the coastal forests that extend into Oregon.
The leaves are fragrant, smooth-edged, lance-shaped, 3-15 cm long and about one-third as wide.
The shape of the leaf resembles that of a bay laurel, but is usually narrower. And the taste is also similar to that of bay laurel leaves, but stronger. Thus, this tree could be misinterpreted as a bay laurel.
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