The real laurel (Laurus nobilis) is an evergreen shrub or tree growing up to 7 m high, it can live hundreds of years and is native to Greece, for example. The leaves have a strong aromatic smell, known and used in almost all cuisines of the world. The trunk of the bay tree has a mostly thin, smooth bark and rather unspecular wood. Its color is whitish-gray, often interspersed with shades of gray or brownish.
