Is this a Bay tree?

[galtezza]

Having moved into a new house in South West France, we have a very large plant by the side of the house, that looks like Bay Laurel....
Before I start stripping off leaves to put in the stockpot, I would like to check that it is definitely Bay, as I have not seen one this large before.
The leaves and berries....

|http://thumbsnap.com/R076pDaI[/IMG]

And the total plant...

|http://thumbsnap.com/rM3uNGtg[/IMG]

[Fruit&2veg]

Yep-Looks like a bay to me-Cant quite smell it from here though just to be sure

[northepaul]

Didnt know it produced black berries though!!

[Jardiniere]

never seen one so big ...mine doesnt produce black berries either but its probably not been pollinated ..if they grow that big I'd best start cutting mine down a bit....
what else have you got?

[Fruit&2veg]

never seen one so big ...mine doesnt produce black berries either but its probably not been pollinated ..if they grow that big I'd best start cutting mine down a bit....
what else have you got?

Bays can grow to 35ft plus if left unchecked in ideal conditions, Bays are not self pollinating so would require another close by to ensure seed set.

[galtezza]

Thats strange then Fruit&2veg, as there is no other bay tree anywhere near this one. I'll go round the field later and see if there is a small one tucked between the other trees - but I haven't seen one. The other trees near the house are plum, cherry, apple and walnut.
Its strange about the smell too, as I thought I would be able to smell the leaves, partiucularly in the really hot weather we have had, but it doesn't seem to have a smell of Bay leaves.
I will bring some in later, and crush / warm in a pan to see if the smell comes through.

[zazen999]

I imagine it's a different type of laurel then, if the leaves don't smell. Just don't eat the berries! We have loads of them around here.

[daylily]

It also seems - though it could be so for any unknown environmental reasons - oddly shaped for a culinary bay. Those I know tend to grow themselves into a somewhat christmas tree shape.

Saying that, mine is also covered in black berries every year, however the pollinating distance can be several miles, depending on the type of plant.

Just on the side of caution as Zaz says, some closely related plants are quite toxic.

[veggiechicken]

Mine are easily that big, and grown from cuttings too, about 30 years ago! The acid test for me, is to snap a leaf in half, if it smells of bay, its bay. If not, well, how's your insurance?. Oddly, I've never noticed berries on mine, and I have two, but lots of fluffy yellow flowers. Maybe I just haven't looked too closely.

[stella]

Please be very careful with this, we have one that looks like a bay but is not. As others have pointed out it is the smell that is a give away if it is bay it will smell like one. If there is no smell you would not benefit from putting it in your cooking.

[celenoglu]

This is definetly a bay tree, laurel nobilis. I live in asia minor wehere the tree originated.