Bay Leaf Latin Name: Laurus nobilis Other names: Baie, Bay Laurel, Daphne, Greecian Laurel, Laurier

dApollon, Laurier Sauce, Lorbeer, Noble Laurel, Roman Laurel, Sweet Bay, True Laurel Element: Fire Planets: Sun, Jupiter Goddess/Gods: Aesculapius, Apollo, Ceres, Delphi, Eros, Faunus Gender : Masculine Magickal Uses: Wisdom, protection, clairvoyance, purification, strength, healing Medicinal Properties: Astringent, aromatic, carminative, digestive, emetic, emmenagogue, stomachic, stimulant. Bay oil, pressed from the berries and leaves, can be made into salves and liniment for rheumatism, palsy, convulsions, cramps, aches and pains, earache, tremblings, numbness, bruises, sprains, and skin problems, itch, scabs, eczema, bruises, sunburn. The fruit and leaves stimulate the digestive system. A decoction of fruit or leaves, made into a paste with honey or syrup, can be applied to the chest for colds and other chest problems. Berries are used to remove obstructions, ague (violent fever often associated with malaria), gas, colic, indigestion, to promote abortion, for delayed menses, helpful in expelling afterbirth and during childbirth, treats poisonous insect bites, snake bites, wasp stings, smallpox, typhoid fever, measles, diphtheria, chronic coughs, asthma, worms, increases flow of urine, gargle for sore throats, tonsillitis, lung problems. The bark is used for stones in the kidneys, bladder problems, and various liver problems. Berries are also useful as a cough syrup. The leaves are used to drive away fleas, lice, moths, and bugs in flour and cereals. Medicinal Part : leaf Legends, Myths and Stories
Bay leaf or laurel leaf is aromatic and slightly bitter in flavor. Well known for its uses in seasoning of meats, stuffings, sauces, marinades, etc. Fresh or dried, use bay leaf sparingly, it is strong. One leaf or less for 6-8 servings. According to Greek and Roman myth, the nymph Daphne was changed at her own wish into a laurel tree by her father, the river god Peneus, to keep her from being attacked by the love-smitten god Apollo. Eros (Cupid) had played a trick on the self-righteous Apollo by shooting arrows with opposite effects into him and Daphne: Apollos arrow stimulated love for Daphne, but hers caused her to hate Apollo. Apollo, amazed by Daphnes transformation, made the tree sacred to himself and declared that he would wear a crown of its leaves, as would triumphant men of war. Thus associated with fame and achievement, the laurel wreath was conferred also on poets, athletes, statesmen, and other notables.The Romans believed that a person standing under a laurel tree would be shielded from infection by the plague and also from lightning. In the Middle Ages, laurel would shield you from lightning and from witches, too.