Indian Laurel

Ficus microcarpa leaves are perennial

Image - Wikimedia / Dinesh Valke

The laurel has been known since Ancient Rome, seeing that the emperors had a crown made with 2 laurel branches. It was a symbol of triumph and was evident in the victorious campaigns of each emperor. The scientific name is Ficus microcarp and it is a tree found in the Mediterranean areas. Its leaves are used both for medicinal uses and in cooking. Today we bring a special type: the Laurel of India.

Do you want to discover all the secrets of the Laurel of India? Keep reading and you will learn its characteristics and conditions for cultivation.

Key features

View of an adult Ficus microcarpa

Image - Wikimedia / Forest & Kim Starr

The laurel of India, whose scientific name is Ficus microcarpIt is a dioecious tree, that is, there are both male and female. Its leaves are evergreen and can grow to between 5 and 10 meters in height. The trunk is straight and the bark is gray with a leafy crown.

The most important part of the tree, its leaves, are green and are placed alternately on the branches. The shape is lanceolate and aromatic. On some occasions we find sheets with wavy edges. The length is between 3 and 9 centimeters and the shortest petiole. In the upper part of the leaf we find a lustrous green color and paler on the underside.

The flowers of this tree are arranged in sessile umbrellas of 4 to 6 flowers and 4 petals. Their flowering season begins during the months of March and April and they have a yellowish color. The male flowers have between 8 and 2 stamens, measuring about 3 millimeters. They have 2 opposite nectaries. On the other hand, if we want to differentiate them from female flowers, we have to note that they have between 2 and 4 appendiculated staminodes and a subsessile ovary.

As for the fruit, its shape is ovoid, it is a kind of berry with a size of 15 millimeters. As it matures, it has a black coloration. Inside the berry we find a single seed of about 9 millimeters. Ripening occurs in the fall season. With this seed, the tree spreads to reproduce.

Properties and uses of Indian Laurel

Pot cultivation of Indian laurel

Like the common laurel, the Indian laurel is a highly appreciated condiment in gastronomy. The use is widespread by almost everyone. In the presentations of Spanish food it is not missing in almost any dish.

The use is quite wide: it is used in soups, stews and stews, but it is also used to season meats, fish, seafood and vegetables. The leaves are used both whole and in the form of bouquets that when it is time to serve the dish are removed. The contribution of flavor to the meals is taken advantage of to the maximum. It is sold both crushed, ground or whole to make the most of the aroma and flavor.

The Indian laurel also has extensive medicinal use. For stomach aches, appetite stimulation and pleasant digestive system. It has carminative and cholagogue properties. From the fruits we obtain an essential oil known as bay butter. This butter is used for the treatment of numerous joint inflammations and cases of pediculosis.

Many health professionals recommend its natural use to avoid excessive chemicals in a cure or treatment. Of course, we must be careful with the concentration and quantity in which we take it, since if we ingest it too much, laurel can be toxic to the body.

The wood of the laurel tree is appreciated for its hardness and is used for some jobs that require strong supports such as beams and palisades.

How to grow Indian laurel

Indian laurel leaves

The Indian laurel prefers warm or temperate climates. It cannot withstand frost, so if your garden has frequent frosts in winters, it will have to be protected or it will die. The best areas to place it are in cool, humid areas. In this way we will achieve faster and healthier growth.

The soil that will be used for cultivation must be fertilized and we must ensure that it has good drainage. The laurel is able to withstand a certain dryness of the soil, but not excessively. In the same way, you have to be careful with puddles. When it comes to watering them, you don't have to flood them.

If your land has many slopes and you don't know what to grow there without having to over-till the land, the Indian laurel is a good option. The best way to reproduce it is by cuttings. The cuttings should be cut and prepared in spring so that their rooting occurs during the warmer months of the summer.

You have to be patient, since it is a tree that takes its time to grow. It is convenient to have them in pots from a young age (especially during the first year of life) to better control the conditions to which we are exposing them. Otherwise, you could suffer early competition for food among other plants in the garden or a difficult adaptation to the climate and meteorology.

To obtain the cuttings, we must use adult trees, at least 3 years old, and that are healthy. From the young branches, we will cut cuttings about 15 centimeters long, we remove most of the leaves. This will create more contact between the sap and the soil.

Maintenance and care

Ornamental use of Indian laurel

Once we have the cuttings in the pots, we have to provide them with adequate humidity and light conditions to guarantee their good growth. When 15 days have passed it will begin to root and that is when you have to keep the soil moist, but without overdoing it. In full sunlight it is not good to have it because it damages the leaves. As we have mentioned before, in winter it is better to protect it from cold and frost to avoid the death of the plant.

Regarding irrigation, it should be moderate and always avoiding waterlogging. Otherwise the roots could rot. It is necessary to reduce the frequency of irrigation in the autumn and winter period.

The Indian laurel is an excellent ornamental tree and we can have its leaves throughout the year, as we need them to give flavor and aroma to the most varied dishes.


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  1.   juan mario reyes said

    It is very important to know the care of plants and trees in order to be in better conditions of their care and that this medium or page orients in this regard congratulations and thanks for the invitation to know all your knowledge and recommendations, greetings

  2.   German Portillo said

    Thank you very much for your comment Juan Mario, we are delighted to offer this information and to continue improving every day.

    A greeting!

    1.    JORGE LOPEZ said

      I had 2 laurel but suddenly one of them began to drop the leaves excessively until it was completely dry, that 2 years ago now the other is starting to do the same thing that I can do so that it does not dry out and recover it and thus protect another who sembre

      1.    Monica Sanchez said

        Hello Jorge.

        Have you checked if it has any plagues? Maybe it has mealybugs. It is common in these plants.

        Send us if you want some photos to our Facebook so that we can help you better.

        Greetings.

  3.   JESUS ​​MANUEL CHAPA NADER said

    IN MY CASE I HAVE 2 TREES OF LAUREL DE LA INDIA, ONE GIVES ME MANY BALLS THAT I Guess THEY ARE THE FRUIT AND THE OTHER DOESN'T GIVE, JUST ONE IS A MALE AND THE HOTRO FEMALE

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Jesus Manuel.

      Yes, from what you count, you probably have a male and a female.

      Greetings.

      1.    Yuridia Negrete said

        What fertilizer or vitamins do I need for its maintenance? I have an Indian laurel and a fitus

        1.    Monica Sanchez said

          Hi Yuridia.

          You can pay them with universal fertilizer for plants, following the instructions on the package.
          But we recommend the Organic fertilizers, such as guano, mulch or compost for example, since they respect the plant but also the fauna that may be in the place where you have them.

          Greetings.

  4.   Alma Delia Silva Rendon said

    How does the root of the Indian Laurel grow, my question is because I have planted 2 saplings at 2 m. of the sidewalks that surround the house, I do not know if its roots will affect the construction in the future. I chose them for their lush foliage and I hope their shade will refresh the house.

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Alma Delia.

      Two meters is not enough for this tree. It is better to be at least 5 meters away.

      Greetings.