Silk bay (also called scrub bay) occurs in scrubs throughout peninsular
Florida. It is a very handsome shrub or small tree,
reaching about 10' tall. The leaves of silk bay are shiny
green on top and adorned beneath with a dense carpet of
silky rusty-red hairs, an adaptation to reduce water loss
by maintaining high humidity at the leaf surface. When crushed, the leaves smell like the culinary bay leaf (Laurus nobilis), which is in
the same family (Lauraceae). A tiny scale insect often
attacks older leaves of silk bay (and other species in
the genus) causing them to deform and develop small galls
which some people consider unsightly. It doesn't hurt the
plant, though. A newly leafed-out silk bay, shimmering in
the breeze with its rusty-red and shiny green leaves, is
one of the most attractive shrubs you can find for no
maintenance xeriscaping in zones 8-10. Silk bay is
available from several native plant nurseries in central
Florida.
Silk bay (also called scrub bay) occurs in scrubs throughout peninsular
Florida. It is a very handsome shrub or small tree,
reaching about 10' tall. The leaves of silk bay are shiny
green on top and adorned beneath with a dense carpet of
silky rusty-red hairs, an adaptation to reduce water loss
by maintaining high humidity at the leaf surface. When crushed, the leaves smell like the culinary bay leaf (
