High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The bay laurel (Laurus nobilis, of the plant family Lauraceae), also known as sweet bay, bay tree (esp. United Kingdom), true laurel, Grecian laurel,laurel tree, or simply laurel, is an aromatic evergreen tree or large shrub with green, glossy leaves, native to the Mediterranean region. It is one of the plants used for bay leaf used in cooking. Under the simpler name "laurel," Laurus nobilis figures prominently in classical Greek, Roman, and Biblical culture.