Description: Evergreen tree with short trunk, usually forked into several large, spreading branches, forming a broad, rounded, dense crown of aromatic, peppery foliage; in exposed situations a low, thicket-forming shrub.

Height: 12-24m

Diameter: 0.5-0.8m

Leaves: evergreen, 5-13 × 1.2-4 cm, elliptical or lanceolate, short-pointed or rounded at ends, thick and leathery, with edges slightly turned under. Shiny dark green above, dull and paler below with prominent network of veins; turning yellow or orange before shedding gradually after second year.

Bark: yellow-green on stout, pubescent young twigs, aging to dark reddish-brown, thin, with flat scales.

Flowers: 6mm long, pale yellow, numerous; clustered on leaf stalk at leaf bases; in late winter or early spring.

Fruit: 2-2.5 cm long; an elliptical or nearly round berry, greenish to purple, with thin pulp and large brown seed; maturing in late autumn.

Habitat: Moist soils, especially in mountain canyons and valleys; in mixed forests. California plant communities Chaparral (m23), Foothill Woodland (m22), Yellow Pine Forest (m14), Mixed Evergreen Woodland (m19), Redwood Forest (m12).

Range: SW Oregon, south in Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada to S California; to 1200m in north, 600-1800m at southern limit.

Among a variety of common names, "Headache Tree" refers to the effects of prolonged exposure to the pungently aromatic vapours released when twigs or foliage are crushed. The attractive light brown wood with darker streaks takes a fine finish and is used for veneer. Along with Sassafras, is the northernmost New World representative of the largely tropical Laurel family.

Information: Audubon (1980)

Source: RHS Garden, Rosemoor, in Devon.

Purchased: May 1998

Planted: Still in its pot, awaiting planting season.

Progress: We originally bought a California-laurel from the dreaded Mallet Court Nurseries but, as with most of their other plants, it arrived far too small to plant. It was potted and coddled, but turned out to have a severe attack of scale insect. We have no particular reason to believe that these came from Mallet Court, but they are the only such pests we have ever seen in the garden. Anyway - it died. The much bigger (and incidentally cheaper) specimen bought from the RHS looks much healthier, though it is still too early to say if it will adapt to the climate in SW Co. Durham. No, it isn't - it collapsed very suddenly in summer 2001. I've yet to dig it up to see if I can spot what the problem was.

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