Re: Laurus nobilis, was Tall, thin screen
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Re: Laurus nobilis, was Tall, thin screen
- From: K*@aol.com
- Date: Tue, 9 May 2000 09:32:55 EDT
In a message dated 5/8/100 10:05:34 PM EST, jonivy@earthlink.net writes:
<< This is the first I have ever heard of Laurus nobilis suckering. >>
There are a number 50 year old Laurus nobilis around the edges of a square in
central Stockton, and they are large trees--perhaps 35 feet tall and about
the same across. I don't know when they started suckering, but the parks
department has to frequently trim the suckers from around the base of the
trees. About like an olive tree in that regard. Although Sweet Bay can be
kept to any size by pruning, it would be labor intensive. A neighbor's 15
year old tree is around 20 feet tall and 15 feet across. The birds love the
berries, and I have found at least 20 seedlings in my flower beds. I've
potted some of them up and given them away as gifts. Others I have just left
in place in order to have a handy supply of leaves for soups, stews, roasts,
etc. When they get too large for the flower beds, I just dig them up and
toss them--being sure to strip them of their leaves, first!
I also lean toward the idea of a flowering vine for a screen. There are so
many wonderful, evergreen, flowering vines that can be grown in San Diego.
My daughter goes to school in La Jolla, and the last time we drove around
that town, my impression was of one huge garden of flowering vines--Blood Red
Trumpet Vine, Violet Trumpet Vine, Bouganvilleas and Passifloras of every
description, Burmese Honeysuckle, Chilean Jasmine--hundreds of others. My
biggest difficulty would be deciding which one to grow! Good luck.
Kurt Mize
Stockton, California
