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Taxon  Report  
Umbellularia californica  (Hook. & Arn.) Nutt.
Bay laurel,   California bay,   California laurel, bay tree,   Oregon myrtle
Umbellularia californica is a tree that is native to California, and found only slightly beyond California borders.
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
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Bloom Period
Genus: Umbellularia
Family: Lauraceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: magnoliid

Wetlands: Equally likely to occur in wetlands and non wetlands

Habitat: canyons

Communities: Redwood Forest, Yellow Pine Forest, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, wetland-riparian

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS + POWO

Alternate Names:
JEFUmbellularia californica var. fresnensis
Information about  Umbellularia californica from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
This plant is available commercially.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (UMCA)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Sudden Oak Death Pathogen Host: The tree is a host of the pathogen that causes sudden oak death. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)

[Wikipedia] Taxonomy, Common Names: The tree was formerly known as Oreodaphne californica.[3] In Yuki, it is called pōl’-cum ōl.[4] In Oregon, this tree is known as Oregon myrtle, while in California it is called California bay laurel, which may be shortened to California bay[5] or California laurel. It has also been called pepperwood, spicebush, cinnamon bush, peppernut tree, headache tree,[6] mountain laurel,[7] and balm of heaven.[7] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2025. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 01/18/2025).