Home › Bay Laurel › Grow in Alberta

Can You Grow Bay Laurel in Alberta?

Canada · Canadian Zone 4 · zones 2, 3, 4, 5

Won't grow here

Bay laurel is frost-tender but makes a stunning container plant that overwinters beautifully indoors.

Plant zones

8a–10b

Alberta last frost

early May

Alberta first frost

early October

Days to harvest

180–365 days

When to plant Bay Laurels in Alberta

Direct sow

May 1

Harvest

Oct 28 – May 1

Dates are approximate, based on Alberta's average frost dates. Your exact yard may vary by microclimate.

About Bay Laurel

Bay laurel is the source of the bay leaf in every spice rack — a slow-growing Mediterranean shrub that can be kept compact in a container. The fresh leaves are far more aromatic than dried store-bought.

Buy a young plant rather than starting from seed (germination is extremely slow and unreliable). Grow in a large container so it can be moved indoors in cold climates. Very slow growing — harvest lightly the first year. Allow leaves to dry on the branch for best flavour.

Full bay laurel growing guide →

Gardening in Alberta

Alberta has a dry continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Calgary and Edmonton are Zone 4-5. Intense sunshine compensates for the short season. Chinook winds bring warm spells in winter.