Laurel laurel seedling (in a polyethylene pot)

Bay leaf: rules for use in cooking

How can you get not only flavor, but also benefit from adding spice?

The ancient Greeks considered Laurus nobilis a sacred plant.
In one of the myths, Apollo wove a wreath from its branches and put it on his head. That is why in Greece laurel leaves were not used in soup, but were awarded a laurel wreath to the winners of the Olympic Games. Today, the use of spices is more prosaic. And often housewives don’t even think about what beneficial properties are hidden in the inconspicuous leaves, which two or three at a time are thrown into a pan of borscht or vegetable stew. Lavrushka has valuable qualities.

Fruits of June and July

If you are lucky enough to get to Crimea at the beginning of summer, you can try a wide variety of fruits in June. These are apricot, mulberry, cherry, strawberry, peach. Each of them has a colorful taste. The impressions received will be another reason to return here.

Some people prefer to visit the peninsula later, knowing what a gentle sea Crimea greets in mid-summer, what fruits there are in July. These are fruits with a royal taste: new varieties of peaches, watermelons, melons, Crimean tomatoes, apples. And now about each in more detail.

She is completely special. Once it was brought from China and since then it feels great in the Crimean climate. There are about 9 species within the peninsula. Moreover, some do not grow anywhere except Crimea. Mulberries ripen in June, in large quantities, closer to the second half.

The local mulberry grows quite large. White and black, it is very juicy and sweet. Unfortunately, transporting it over long distances is impossible due to its tenderness. Therefore, you will have to eat plenty of it on the spot.

Mulberry leaves are also of considerable value. They are used to feed silkworms. In addition, dried leaves and berries are used as an additive to tea, and also as a folk remedy.

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Useful properties of laurel

Bay leaves contain essential oils. Their main component is cineole, a terpene substance with a pronounced antiseptic and expectorant effect. They also contain eugenol, a phenolic compound with its own antibacterial activity. This combination causes a pronounced antibacterial and disinfectant effect of bay leaf, an infusion of which can be used for:

• diseases of the respiratory tract, accompanied by cough, inflammation, difficult sputum discharge;
• diseases of the digestive system - gastrointestinal infections, intestinal disorders, indigestion;
• diseases of the oral cavity and nasopharynx - with stomatitis, sore throat, sore throat.

The disinfecting properties of bay leaf are well known. For example, to treat stomatitis, herbalists recommend simply chewing a bay leaf for a few minutes. The infusion is also used externally to treat skin diseases accompanied by inflammation and swelling (non-healing wounds, eczema).

Bay leaves contain potassium, which is necessary for the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system. By adding spice to everyday dishes, you can increase the daily amount of the mineral entering the body with food.

How to use correctly

Bay leaves contain not only essential oils, but also bitterness. If a spice sits in a dish for a long time, both are released. But, fortunately, this happens at different times: essential oils are revealed first.

Therefore, it is necessary to add bay leaves to dishes upon completion of cooking:

• for first courses - five minutes before the end of cooking;
• in stews, meat, vegetables - in 10 minutes.

After cooking is complete, remove the bay leaf from the dish.

The aroma will be more rich and delicate if you double the number of leaves in the dish and reduce the time the spice spends in the pan by the same amount. Take not five leaves, but 10 and simmer in the soup for two to three minutes. This will help you experience new notes of taste and aroma of the bay leaf.

Author - Tatyana Torskaya

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What products to combine with in the kitchen

In ancient times, laurel was so valued that it was used only in the preparation of exquisite desserts. It served as an accompaniment to baked apples and figs.

Today it is added to most dishes, except dairy and fruit. The spice possibilities are wide, as bay leaf goes well with:

• with first courses;
• with stewed meat;
• with boiled and baked fish;
• with stewed and boiled vegetables (potatoes, carrots, cabbage).

The antiseptic properties of bay leaf make it indispensable in home preservation. A few leaves will help pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini and salads last longer. They are also the best means for salting fish, as they protect it from “rusting”.

Fatty fish contain fatty acids that oxidize when exposed to oxygen. This process forms a “rusty” film on the fish and spoils its taste. Bay leaf stops the oxidation of the product and preserves the freshness of fish during salting and marinating.

Customs rules on the Russian-Abkhaz border

Abkhazia is one of the most popular resort destinations among tourists from Russia. When traveling to this charming country, you can not only get a lot of positive emotions, but also have time to improve your health. And what trip is complete without shopping and purchasing souvenirs and gifts, as well as various delicacies that you would like to take home when your vacation is over? But in order not to break the law and not lose money in vain, it is important to know that you cannot take it from Abkhazia to Russia. The Republic of Abkhazia is a partially recognized state bordering Russia. The two countries meet on the Psou River in the Krasnodar region.

Bay leaves are easy to grow yourself

Is it worth buying bay leaves from the store if you can grow them yourself?

The ancient Greeks made wreaths from laurel for triumphs, but we use this evergreen plant for more utilitarian purposes. But what flavor it gives to dishes! It turns out that it also has medicinal properties.

Laurus nobilis (literally translated from Latin - Laurus nobilis) is native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Today it is used not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology and folk medicine.

Bay leaf (it is this part of the plant that is widely used) contains phytosterol, linalool, essential oil, tannins, camphor and numerous acids - formic, caproic, butyric, lauric, acetic. That is why in ancient times the Greeks washed their hands with laurel solution before eating. The plant has a disinfecting and anti-inflammatory effect. The laurel also contains vitamins A, B, C, PP, macro- and microelements: magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper, selenium, iron, manganese and potassium.

Rules for transporting plants on an airplane

The rules for crossing the Russian-Abkhaz border, transporting goods and currency across the border correspond to the rules for leaving Russia for any other country. These rules are contained in the Code of Customs Regulations of the Russian Federation. The customs rules of the Republic of Abkhazia are contained in the Code of Rules for the movement of goods by individuals across the customs border of the Republic of Abkhazia. Without paying customs duties, goods can be imported across the customs border of Abkhazia if they are not intended for industrial or commercial activities, are imported in accompanied luggage and their quantity does not exceed the norm allowed by the rules. From the One-time export from the Russian Federation of cash foreign currency and or currency of the Russian Federation in an amount exceeding the equivalent of 10 US dollars is not allowed, except for the cases provided for in Part 2 of Art. Goods and things imported into the territory of the Russian Federation from Abkhazia that are not intended for industrial or commercial activities are not subject to customs duties. Without paying customs duties, individuals can import into Russia across railway, road and water borders goods in accompanied and unaccompanied luggage, the total value of which does not exceed the equivalent of a euro, and the total weight of which does not exceed 50 kg. If the total cost and weight of goods exceeds the above norms but not more than thousand.

Only south, only warm

Since the homeland of laurel is warm countries, it is understandable why it is picky about the climate. There is no point in planting it in the server regions of Russia, but in the Crimea, the Caucasus and the south of the country it grows beautifully.

The type of soil does not matter much. An important condition is that there should not be an excess of moisture in it. To ensure that the leaves of the plant have enough essential oils, it should be planted in a well-lit area.

Photo: enpratikbilgiler.com

Laurel needs to be planted with seeds - their germination rate is very high. But other methods do not show such impressive results. The depth of the holes in open ground should be 4-5 cm. After seedlings are obtained, the crops must be thinned out, leaving 6-8 cm between plants.

Laurel tolerates dry periods well. Still, in summer it is advisable to water it once a week.

Experts recommend cutting the plant in winter (or during harvest) at a level of 10 cm from the soil. In general, the bush can grow up to 2 meters in height.

We study the cultivation of laurel in open ground

Bay leaf is an indispensable spice in every housewife’s kitchen. To have plenty of it, you don’t have to buy whole lots, because anyone can grow laurel in open ground. Of course, in northern latitudes it makes no sense to plant a tree in the garden due to its heat-loving nature. But in the south and even in the middle zone, laurel feels quite good in the garden. If you decide to always have fragrant leaves on hand, you don’t have to crowd your flowers on the windowsill. You can plant laurel among garden trees. And today we will tell you how to do this and how to care for it.

Storing bay leaves at home

6 months ago

5 min to read

Bay is one of the most common types of spices, but in order for it to retain its aroma and beneficial properties, it is important to know how to store bay leaves at home. It is familiar to every person and is widely used during the preparation of first and second courses. The bay tree grows in many areas and does not require special care.

Not everyone knows when to collect bay leaves. Its leaves are considered useful and suitable for consumption after the plant reaches three years of age. Their collection occurs in the autumn-winter period and involves cutting small branches and their subsequent drying.

In dried form, the spice can be found in every store and supermarket. However, many housewives prefer to buy fresh bay leaves on a branch, since their appearance can be used to judge the quality of this popular spice.

Methods for planting laurel in the country

There are two ways to plant and propagate bay leaves in your dacha:

• from seeds;
• vegetatively (rooting cuttings and layering).

Both methods give good results, but at home, when there is nowhere to take cuttings, laurel is most often planted with seeds. Also, if possible, ready-made seedlings can be purchased at a nursery, which will speed up the process of growing and obtaining a harvest of fragrant leaves. Planting of seedlings is carried out in spring or autumn. Let's take a closer look at how to plant this noble plant on your site.

Growing laurel from seeds

Laurel seeds have a high germination rate (up to 95%), but only fresh ones. You need to have time to use them within 6 months after collection. Due to the large amount of essential oils, they germinate a little slowly and for a long time, but almost everything.

You can slightly extend the shelf life of seeds until the next season by putting them in the refrigerator.

You can plant seeds:

Directly into open ground. They do this immediately after collecting them, or purchase fresh seeds and sow them in the garden at the end of autumn. They overwinter in the soil, and germination begins with the onset of stable heat (at least 20°C), at the end of spring. When the seedlings grow up, they need to be thinned out and transplanted to a permanent place in the fall.

In pots for seedlings. You should start sowing seeds at the end of January - beginning of February. Small containers are filled with light and nutritious soil and the seeds are sown. There is no need to deepen them much, 1.5 cm is enough. Until the sprouts appear, the pots are kept under a film, periodically ventilating the greenhouse and moistening the soil. When the seedlings grow up, they can be thinned out or immediately carefully planted in separate flowerpots for growing. Strong seedlings are planted in the garden already in the current season. Plants should definitely be covered for the winter. When growing in the middle zone, it makes sense to leave bay leaf seedlings to overwinter in the first year at home.

You can speed up the germination of laurel seeds by first clearing them of their protective shell and germinating them in damp sawdust.

When sowing in open ground during winter, this procedure is not carried out, otherwise the seeds will die.

Laurel tree cuttings

Young laurel shoots are very tenacious and take root well. By cutting, a new plant with its own root system is obtained in a couple of months. They begin the procedure in mid-spring or early summer, cutting twigs with green bark from an adult laurel that have not yet become lignified. They are divided into chibouks, each of which must have at least 3 internodes and an oblique lower cut. The leaves growing from below are cut off completely. At the top sheets, half of the plate is cut off to reduce moisture evaporation.

How to choose quality raw materials?

When purchasing bay tree branches, it is important to pay attention to the condition of the leaves. Only high-quality laurel can be stored at home.

To purchase good quality bay leaves, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:

• The color of bay leaves. The laurel leaves should be evenly colored a rich shade of green.
• Structure. Fresh leaves have a dense structure and should not break or crumble easily.
• No damage. There must be no damage from insects.

How to cover a bay tree for the winter

In the middle zone, where the plant is grown as a bush, organizing a winter shelter will not be a problem. The trimmed laurel (the remaining low stumps) just needs to be covered with earth and covered with leaves or spruce branches on top. When snow falls, you can add a snow cap on top.

If you grow laurel as a tree and do not cut off its above-ground part for the winter, you will have to tinker a little. In this case, it is worth considering how to cover the laurel so that its branches and foliage do not touch the shelter. After all, it will get wet, freeze and, accordingly, the shoots too. You can do this as follows:

1. Carefully, so as not to break, tie the branches into a bundle.
2. Wrap with agrospan, covering the bottom with earth and tying the top.
3. Make a cylinder from the garden net, the diameter of which should be larger than the resulting column from the wrapped tree.
4. Wrap the cylinder with agrospan.
5. Place on top of the wrapped laurel and tie the top.
6. Place the film on top and secure it.

This way, the branches of the laurel tree will not come into contact with the shelter, even if it gets wet. As a result, the laurel will safely overwinter and will not freeze even in severe frosts (-20°C).

As you can see, growing laurel in open ground is a completely doable task. By providing it with a bright place and reliable shelter for the winter, you will not need to buy spicy leaves in the store. Enough for yourself, for all your relatives, and even for your neighbors. Plant it and you won’t regret it!

Laurel storage

In order for it to retain its beneficial properties, unique taste characteristics and unique aroma for a long time, it must be stored under appropriate conditions. When storing this spice at home, it is important to exclude factors such as:

• Increased level of humidity in the room.
• Presence of foreign pungent odors.
• Sudden changes in temperature.
• Exposure to direct sunlight.

Note! According to experts, the use of bay leaves, the storage standards of which were not observed, cannot cause food poisoning. However, it is quite capable of spoiling the taste characteristics of the dishes in the preparation of which it is used.

The expiration date of purchased bay leaves is indicated on the packaging. Self-dried raw materials have a shelf life of no longer than 1 year.

How to care for laurel in open ground

Growing bay leaves in the country requires a small set of care measures:

• Watering. Abundant, but moderately frequent, seasonally (about once a week). As a drought-resistant crop, laurel can more easily tolerate a lack of moisture than waterlogging of the soil.
• Feeding. From mid-spring to the end of summer, add a mineral complex 2 times a month. In addition, it is allowed to carry out one-time feeding during the season with phosphorus and ash.
• Trimming. It is most convenient to combine it with harvesting, and it will be easier to cover such a tree. In the middle zone, it is recommended to radically prune the bushes, leaving stumps up to 10 cm high. Formative pruning begins when the laurel is 2 years old. It is carried out at the end of June - beginning of July, giving the crown the desired shape (ball, pyramid, and so on).

Preparation for storage

Bay leaves can be stored both dried and fresh. However, before you start choosing a storage method, they need to be prepared:

1. Go through. After purchase, any damaged or spoiled leaves should be removed.
2. Clear. After removing low-quality raw materials, fresh bay leaves must be thoroughly rinsed under running water at room temperature.
3. Dry. Clean sheets of paper should be dried by spreading them on a piece of thick fabric in one layer.

Cultural history

In terms of age, this plant is one of the oldest - a remnant of the flora of the Tertiary period. There are many myths and legends about him. In ancient times, great miraculous and healing powers were attributed to him. The ancient Roman historian Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) in his work “Natural History” argued that this plant is not struck by lightning, and the Roman emperor Tiberius stood under this tree in a thunderstorm in order to avoid the wrath of the gods of Heaven and the Sun.

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A wreath made from this evergreen plant was especially highly valued in society. The noble laurel has been and remains today a symbol of glory and victory, recognition of an individual’s merits to society.

Methods for storing bay leaves

You can store bay leaves at home in different ways:

• In a jar or container.
• On a branch.
• Fresh.

Drying methods

Storing bay leaves in a jar and on a branch involves pre-drying the raw material. This process is not too complicated and consists of the following steps:

1. The laurel leaves are placed on a baking sheet so that they do not touch each other.
2. The oven is heated to 45 degrees Celsius and the raw materials are left in it for 4 hours. It is important to leave the oven door open.
3. After 4 hours, the leaves must be turned over.
4. The inverted laurel must be dried for another 4 hours at the same temperature.

Growing laurel in open ground

When planning to plant a crop on your site, do not forget where the bay leaf comes from. If you live in the southern regions, then there is nothing to worry about. Laurel is native to warm Mediterranean countries, although it can also survive in cooler conditions. True, in warm weather, laurel grows in the form of a tall tree, and in regions where average temperature values ​​are lower, it takes on the form of a shrub. In this form, the plant endures winter more easily, and if it freezes, it is only on top. The root system remains alive and grows a lot of young shoots every year.

Regarding where bay leaves grow in Russia in open ground, this is mainly the south of the country (Black Sea coast, Krasnodar Territory, Transcaucasia). Laurel has good frost resistance. It can withstand temperatures even at -15°C. However, at 25°C frost, complete freezing of the above-ground part and sometimes even the roots occurs.

Diseases and pests of home laurel

Most often, leathery leaves are damaged by scale insects and scale insects. They are easy to identify with regular inspection. First, the parasites colonize the underside of the leaves. For minor infestations, they are removed manually using a soapy sponge and shower. If the case is advanced, you will have to use special preparations, but then the leaves cannot be eaten.

Dry air in apartments causes the appearance of spider mites, to destroy which traditional methods or acaricides are used.

Excessive watering causes water to stagnate, which causes root rot and fungal diseases to appear. Externally, they appear as brown spots.

Too warm, dry wintering can cause leaf fall.

Laurel is actually quite easy to maintain. If properly cared for, it will become not only an interior decoration, but also a wonderful homemade seasoning.

Reproduction

Under natural conditions, bay laurel reproduces by seeds and shoots; in culture - most often by seeds and cuttings.

Propagation by seeds

Due to the high content of fatty oils, laurel seeds quickly lose their germination capacity. Even under the best storage conditions, their shelf life is 6-7 months, and they should be stored in damp sand in a cool room at a temperature of 2-7°C.

The optimal time for planting seeds is in November-December, immediately after picking the fruits from the tree. To speed up the production of seedlings, seeds can be planted in pots indoors and the plants can be planted in a trench the following year.

For sowing, it is advisable to prepare light soil from equal parts of black soil, sand, and rotted manure. Pots with laurel seeds are placed in a bright place (window), the temperature is constantly maintained at 20-25°C, and they are watered regularly, not allowing the soil to dry out. From well-ripened seeds, shoots appear in 1-1.5 months.

Good results are obtained by planting laurel fruits in a permanent place (in a trench) immediately after harvesting them, where they undergo stratification during the winter and then sprout in May.

Propagation by cuttings

It is possible to propagate laurel by cuttings, but this is a rather painstaking and lengthy process (several months), and the results are not always positive. If cuttings are rooted, such plants develop poorly and are more suitable for cultivation indoors.

Cautions and contraindications

Bay leaf is a potent spice, so it is important to follow the dosage when using it and take into account contraindications so as not to harm the body.

• It is forbidden to use the steep decoction for children and the elderly, as well as for patients with gastritis and colitis - anyone whose digestive system may not be able to cope with the “atomic” essential oil of the spice.
• You should not get carried away with laurel during pregnancy, limiting your consumption to simple culinary recipes and avoiding strong infusions.

It is important to know! Laurel is dangerous for its abortifacient properties; it causes uterine contractions, which can harm the fetus.

• People with liver disease and a diagnosis of alcoholism take bay leaf tinctures with great caution. There are traditional methods of treatment that confirm the development of aversion to alcohol by taking laurel tincture, but you need to understand that this method will cause strong reactions in the body and provoke a load on the internal systems, so it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor.
• They warn about the insidious properties of laurel and hypertensive patients - tincture of bay leaf can cause pressure surges.
• Also, consultation will be required for people suffering from kidney diseases - due to the strong diuretic effect of decoctions prepared from laurel.
• An overdose of bay infusion or consumption of a strong substrate can cause severe stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, headache, fever, itching and red spots on the body. For such symptoms, gastric lavage and intravenous drips are recommended to remove heavy substances.

Allergies to bay leaves are rare, so extreme manifestations practically do not occur. In some cases, consuming laurel may cause constipation. Before taking oil, spices, or infusions from laurel, check for an allergic reaction - apply a little of the composition to your wrist - there should be no redness and/or itching.

Note! High concentrations of the active substance may cause a slight burn on the skin.

Botanical characteristics

Laurus nobilis is one of the representatives of the laurel family, numbering over 1000 species. All laurel trees are typical representatives of the subtropics. Laurel laurel is a small evergreen tree. In the parks of the southern coast of Crimea (Miskhor, Alupka, etc.) there are old laurel trees with a crown height of 9-12 m and a trunk diameter of 10-20 cm. Low-growing bushes grow in the area of ​​​​Sevastopol, Sudak, where there are sub-zero temperatures in winter. The crown of the laurel is thick and compact, easy to shape, which greatly simplifies its cultivation using the trench method.

The trunk is straight. When grown in a trench it can be very short. The branches are straight, very flexible, dark green in young plants, and gray after 3-5 years. The wood is dense, stable, and has a pleasant specific odor. Furniture and art products are made from it. Thanks to the original design, it is used for making turning crafts and is well polished. The smell is pleasant and lasts a long time in the products. Laurel leaves are alternate, simple, oblong or lanceolate, pointed and slightly wavy at the edges, bladed, sitting on short stalks; the upper side of the plate is dark green, shiny, the lower side is pale, matte.

There are broad-leaved and narrow-leaved forms. The best in terms of essential oil content is considered to be the narrow-leaved form, the leaves of which are about 2.5 cm long and 1 cm wide, their weight is 0.1-0.2 g. Laurel is a dioecious plant. Inflorescences are umbrellas of 4-6 dioecious, small, whitish-greenish or yellowish flowers, collected in bunches. Umbrellas, 1-3 each, sit on short pubescent pedicels in the axils of the leaves. Male flowers are larger than female ones. The petals of male and female flowers are ovoid. There are from 4 to 6 of them on each flower.

The fruit of the noble laurel is a black with a purple hue, an oval single-seeded berry measuring 8-22 mm in length and 8-14 in width with a fleshy pericarp. In Crimea, ripening is extended from September to December.

When grown using the trench method in the Donbass, some of the fruits ripen in November-December, some fall off or ripen the following spring. The shell of the fruit contains essential oil, and the kernel of the seeds contains fatty oil. Laurel leaves are distinguished by high transpiration activity, which is facilitated by the abundance of stomata and small vessels in the vascular-fibrous bundles. Laurel essential oil accumulates in special containers formed in the intercellular spaces of the leaf mesophyll. They are scattered throughout the entire part of the sheet: per 1-2 mm there are from 15 to 50 oil containers. The root system is taprooted, strong, with a large number of lateral roots.

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The leathery leaves of the bay laurel indicate its drought resistance. With a moisture deficit, the number of young, non-lignified branches sharply decreases, and the yield decreases. Therefore, it is advisable to water the laurel 3-4 times during the summer months.

It is believed that the noble laurel is a plant of the lower tier of the forest, so it tolerates diffused sunlight and partial shading well.

Laurel from a noble family

In biology books published over the years, a variety of adjectives are added to the name of the described plant “laurel”: tender laurel, true laurel, walnut laurel, Californian laurel, noble laurel... It turns out that in the world there are a lot of different, but so similar plants with similar shiny carved foliage. It is as if varnished, glossy leaves and branches of laurel were used in Ancient Greece to make wreaths that were awarded to winners in sports competitions. Over time, the laurel also became a symbol of high status. It is already difficult to imagine, for example, the Emperor of the Roman Empire Gaius Julius Caesar without a laurel wreath. However, laurel is famous not only for the fact that it adorns the heads of athletes and generals. For many centuries, bay leaves and all other parts of the bay tree have been used not only as a spicy plant, but also as a medicinal plant.

Daphne

In Greece, laurel was called Daphne, after the nymph who was pursued by the ardent Apollo, the sun god, patron of victory and the arts, who was in love with her. The young nymph did not share his passion, she prayed to the gods to help her get rid of the pursuit of the gentleman who ran after her, “like a dog after a hare,” as written in an ancient Greek myth. And the gods helped, turning the running Daphne into a beautiful, delicately scented laurel tree. Apollo embraced him in grief and decorated his head with a wreath of hard leaves, since then this tree became sacred to him. And then other people and gods turned their attention to the wondrous tree - there have always been so many in the world who wanted to imitate others. This is how the Noble Laurel appeared, a symbol of valor and victory. However, until the twentieth century in Russia, the laurel was called Daphne. “Laureate,” “bachelor,” “to rest on one’s laurels,” “to accept laurels” are all derived from the Latin word “laurel,” which means “to praise” or “to praise.” The names Laura, Lavrentiy, Laurus are derived from the name of a beautiful plant. Laurel is the national emblem of Greece, where this plant is not only a favorite of the gods, but also of culinary specialists. However, this plant has long conquered the whole world.

Second homeland

The Mediterranean countries are considered the birthplace of laurel. However, laurel forests are disappearing over time; only small “islands” of laurel have survived in the world in Portugal, Syria, Turkey, southern Spain, Madeira, and Indonesia. Laurel (an evergreen shrub) grows in the Crimea and the Caucasus. In our area, its thickets are found on the slopes of Laspi Bay. There are laurel groves in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, in the forests near Alushta and Yalta, where it coexists with monumental cypress trees, holm oaks curved by time and fate. Together they create an indescribable Mediterranean flavor. However, we are talking not only about beauty, but also about real benefits for the resort area of ​​Crimea. Volatile chemicals of laurel—phytoncides—change the biological properties of the tuberculosis bacillus, suppressing its development. This unique property makes it a very useful park plant, which, if you wish, can decorate your summer cottage.