California-laurel Lauraceae Umbellularia californica

Leaf:Alternate, simple, persistent, elliptical to lanceolate, 3 to 5 inches long, very aromatic when crushed, dark green and shiny above and paler and smooth below, margins entire. When crushed they may irritate the eyes and nose.
Flower:Perfect, inconspicuous, small and yellowish.
Fruit:A bluish black, olive-like drupe about 3/4 inch in diameter, attached to the tree with a yellow stalk that resembles a golfer's tee.
Twig:Round, slender, smooth, and initially light green, turning gray-brown with age.
Bark:Young bark is thin, smooth, and gray-brown; mature bark becomes thin, reddish brown, and somewhat scaly.
Form:A large, broad-leaved evergreen tree reaching 100 feet tall and 2 to 5 feet in diameter, often has multiple stems arising from basal sprouts. Has a dome-shaped crown in the open.

leaf flower fruit twig bark form map

Notes: