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Bay tree??

jmeales691jOhfAshjmeales691jOhfAsh Posts: 9
in Plants
Hi all

I’m sure this has been discussed many times, so my apologies in advance!

I have this tree in my garden that I’ve ignored for 15 years.  So before I poison the family in order to save a couple of pounds in the herb aisle, could anyone confirm if this is a bay tree, please?

It has a smooth bark, spikes and berries too.  No teeth on the evergreen leaves, shiny dark green on one side and light on the other.

Any advice would be great - many thanks!!

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Posts

  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    May need to see the overall look of your shrub/tree. But judging from the old fruits and the undersides of leaves, I would say it is an Elaeagnus x Ebbingei. Not a Bay Tree/shrub.
  • jmeales691jOhfAshjmeales691jOhfAsh Posts: 9
    Hi Borderline
    Thanks for the message.  I took some more photos and it occurred to me that I have a real potted Bay Tree, which has not grown since I bought it 5 years ago!  Still 12” tall!
    I should have compared the leaves.  The photos no. 4 and 5 are the potted Bay Tree Standard, top and bottom side for comparison.  There is certainly a big difference in the underside leaf colour!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Borderline said:
    May need to see the overall look of your shrub/tree. But judging from the old fruits and the undersides of leaves, I would say it is an Elaeagnus x Ebbingei. Not a Bay Tree/shrub.
    I agree ...  definitely not a bay

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • jmeales691jOhfAshjmeales691jOhfAsh Posts: 9
    I just looked at Elaeagnus x Ebbingei and saw Ebbings Silverberry.  The fruit looks exactly the same, apparently edible and great in jam.  Maybe the tree has a hidden reward after all..!
    Thank you for your advice-very much appreciated!
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    Thanks for sending a few more photos. It's an Elaeagnus shrub for sure. Not a plant I have grown, but have heard they also get nice small scented flowers followed by the edible small fruits, so a nice shrub to have. They take to pruning well, so you can manage the growth and height easily.

    Your bay shrub may do well in the ground if you have a nice sunny spot for it.
  • jmeales691jOhfAshjmeales691jOhfAsh Posts: 9
    Thank you for confirming too, Dovefromabove.  Glad I didn’t add the leaves to my cooking!
  • jmeales691jOhfAshjmeales691jOhfAsh Posts: 9
    Thank you again, Borderline.  I will definitely plant the Bay in the ground too!
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Beware that "edible" just means it's not poisonous, but in no way it means delectable !
    The eleagnus fruit taste horribly sour. :(
    You've been warned!
    PS.- Out of curiosity, we seem to be having lots of new members on this forum with strange user names (such as yours). May I ask why you felt you had to make yours full of numbers and letters which make it um-pronouceable?

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    Could I just add that if you remove one leaf from a bay tree, crush it in your hand and smell it, you will be in no further doubt. Bay smells like bay, nothing else does.
  • jmeales691jOhfAshjmeales691jOhfAsh Posts: 9
    Apologies on the username.  When I created the account on the phone, it auto generated the username.  I didn’t even notice the username stage, and afterwards I thought how strange!

    Thanks for the fruit warning.  I’ll see if I can muster up the courage to taste one today.  I squashed one the other day and while it was very soft, it was also quite ‘slimy’, for want of a better description!


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