California Bay
Laurel Nuts
how to forage
The problem with the California bay laurel is that not every tree fruits every winter. Only a fraction of the trees will be fruiting in a given season. Our aim is to identify the trees that are fruiting—and that’s where I need your help. By learning how to spot and collect these nuts, you’ll be contributing to a better understanding of where these valuable trees are producing.
Identification
Tree
The California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) is an evergreen tree with long, narrow, glossy green leaves that emit a strong, spicy aroma when crushed.
This scent is a great way to confirm the tree's identity.
Nuts
The nuts are round, about the size of a marble, and are sometimes surrounded by a thin green or brown outer fruit.
However, the outer fruit isn’t required—we only need the nut inside, which must have an unbroken shell to be usable.
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Where to Look
Tree
For a fresher harvest, check the branches of bay laurel trees.
You may find nuts still hanging on the branches before wind or wildlife knocks them down.
Ground
Many nuts fall naturally to the ground, especially after wind or rain.
Look along trails, under the canopy of bay laurel trees, or in areas where the wind has scattered them.
Smashed
Sometimes, nuts may be stepped on or crushed by passing cars on roads or trails.
A fruiting California bay laurel tree is often easier to spot because you’ll see these smashed nuts splattered on the ground.
California Bay Laurel Range
When to Forage
The best time to forage California bay laurel nuts is typically from
late fall through winter.
This is when the nuts are most abundant. Windy days can be particularly helpful, as they knock nuts off the trees, making them easier to find on the ground.
What Happens Next
Once we locate fruiting trees, we will contact the landowner to get permission to harvest or create a farm lease with a private landowner. It's also great to have more foraging help—if you're interested, we can pay for the nuts you harvest or hire foragers by the hour to assist with collection.
This information is incredibly helpful for creating and tracking data on fruiting trees, which contributes to research on the masting behavior of California bay laurels. Understanding this behavior is essential for sustainable harvesting and supporting native agroforestry practices.