The Indoor Bay Tree: Perfect Houseplant?
Photography by Marie Viljoen
This is the story of a bay tree that asked to move back indoors. For apartment dwellers and cold-climate gardeners bay trees offer the pleasure of no-fuss greenery with the bonus of deeply aromatic leaves whose flavor when fresh is incomparable.
The bay tree on our Brooklyn terrace in summer. In similar climates (wet, mild winters; warm, dry summers) the trees can grow up to 40-plus feet and live in-ground, year-round.
Our bay tree overwintering indoors, facing north. The first clue to its easy-going nature came one winter when the tree lost its sunny indoor spot to a new yuzu: the bay was unceremoniously bumped to a dreaded and sunless north-facing window.
New bay foliage turning red as a protective reaction to sunlight. Our Brooklyn NY, Zone-7b terrace receives sunlight from sunrise until early afternoon (less in early spring and fall).
The indoor bay tree, enjoying summer.
The bay as an evergreen backdrop for regal lilies. Bay trees can be bought at most local nurseries, or online.
If the whole rootball comes out in a solid mass, it is a sure sign that root-pruning is required.
After root-pruning it is also a good idea to prune back some branches to reduce stress.
Fresh bay leaves pair beautifully with fruit.
Bay-scented plum syrup with mezcal and tonic.
Tuck bay leaves under the skin of grilling chicken.
Plums poached in bay-scented white wine.
White wine and bay leaves turn into a scented syrup for this slow-poached fruit dessert. Place the plums in the pan, nestling them on top of the bay leaves. If it does, add a splash over water.
Plums Poached with Bay and White Wine