The best bay laurel plants, compared.
Top pick: Bay Laurel Bush for Culinary Use - Bay Plant in a 12cm Pot Best value: Carbeth Plants Bay Laurel Plant Herb for Cooking in A 9cm Pot – Same value score as the other about £11.99 plant, and 283 reviews against 24, so it is best value. Updated 21.10.2026.
A bay laurel plant for a UK kitchen is a live nobilis, an evergreen shrub whose aromatic leaves flavour soups and stews. They are starters, not lollipop standards and not artificial topiary. You judge a listing by the Latin name or a clear culinary title, the pot diameter, and one plant or a pair. That 13 cm listing had no featured offer, so check the live page. The RHS puts bay at about -5°C, hardier in the ground than in a pot, and poor in wet soil. How to read the title, the pot and the review notes is in the [bay laurel buying guide](/hub/herb-seeds/bay-laurel-plant/sub/bay-laurel-plant-buying-guide). On amazon.co.uk this set is young nursery plants in 9-13 cm pots. A standard, with a clear stem and a clipped head, is a different purchase in a larger pot and at a higher price.
A bay laurel plant for a UK kitchen is a live nobilis, an evergreen shrub whose aromatic leaves flavour soups and stews. They are starters, not lollipop standards and not artificial topiary.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How many plants do you want?
This 12 cm bay laurel bush is titled for culinary use at £15.99, with 4.7 from 20 reviews, the highest stars and one of the smallest samples in the set. The brand line is Carbeth Plants, and the Latin name is not in the title. The bullet says indoors in pots or outdoors as a shrub or tree, and there is no sunlight line in the specification block. The nine reviews read for this listing repeat size and a tight rootball. They do not describe several plants in the pot, and they do not mention pests, dry soil or dead leaves. A 4.7 on 20 reviews is not a larger record than 4.5 on 1,018. You are buying a culinary title at the £15.99 price of the most-reviewed pot, with too few ratings to treat the stars as settled.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a culinary title and a short review file that does not mention extra stems, and you accept a sample of 20.
Less suitable: You choose from review volume, or you need Laurus nobilis printed on the title.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Latin name in the title?
No. The title says bay laurel bush for culinary use in a 12 cm pot. The brand on the specification line is Carbeth Plants.
Where does the listing say you can grow it?
The bullet says indoors in pots, or outdoors as a shrub or tree. There is no sunlight line in the specification block.
What comes up in the reviews that were read?
The repeated snag is size and a tight rootball. These nine reviews do not describe several plants in the pot, and they do not mention pests, dry soil or dead leaves.
The 10 cm Carbeth pot is one Laurus nobilis titled as a culinary herb at £11.99, with 4.6 from 24 reviews. The bullet says a sunny or partially shaded spot and well-drained soil, which matches how a young bay is usually sited, though indoor use is not answered on the specification lines. Amazon's expected height is 10 cm, the pot diameter, not a grown shrub. One reviewer found five plants in the single pot, and a separate review described a plant of about 20 cm that arrived with mealybug and lasted about a week. That pest note is one review, not a rate for the listing. With only 24 reviews, the 4.6 sits above the 13 cm plant's 4.5 without being a deeper record. It is a named starter at the lower shelf price if you can live with a thin sample and no indoor line on the spec.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the Latin name on a £11.99 starter and will not treat 24 reviews as a long record.
Less suitable: You need an indoor line on the specification, or a review file in the hundreds.
Specifications
Common questions
What is supplied, and at what price?
One plant in a 10 cm pot. The title names Laurus nobilis and calls it a culinary herb. The listed price is about £11.99.
Is indoor use stated on the specification lines?
No. Indoor use is asked in the listing and not answered there. The bullet says a sunny or partially shaded spot with well-drained soil.
What did one reviewer find in the pot?
One reviewer found five plants in the one pot. A separate review said a young plant of about 20 cm arrived with mealybug and lasted about a week. That is one review, not a rate.
The Carbeth 13 cm pot is one Laurus nobilis at £15.99, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.5 from 1,018 reviews, the largest sample in the set. The title names the species, and the listing says indoor and outdoor in partial shade. Amazon's expected height repeats 13 cm, the same figure as the pot, so that line is not a mature height. Several reviewers found more than one stem, including notes of about 8 stems and about 20 small plants, so you should not expect a single trunk on the doorstep. On 19 October 2026 a search showed no featured offer, and a later look showed 987 reviews rather than 1,018, so check the live page before you treat the listed price as the one you can pay. It is the most-reviewed single plant here, and it still costs the same £15.99 as the 12 cm pots.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one named Laurus nobilis and the largest review file in this set, and you will check the live offer.
Less suitable: You need a clear-stem standard this season, or two plants for £16.99.
Specifications
Common questions
What pot size and plant count does the listing state?
One plant in a 13 cm pot. The Amazon expected-height line also says 13 cm, which matches the pot. No mature height is stated.
Does the title name the species?
Yes. The title says Laurus nobilis. The listing calls it a bay tree for pots, patios, balconies, doorways and herb gardens.
Do reviews describe a single trunk?
Several reviewers found more than one stem in the pot. One review mentioned about 8 stems, and another about 20 small plants.
Two Laurus nobilis in 10 cm pots are listed at £16.99, which is £8.50 a plant, with 4.5 from 66 reviews. The title names the species, and the bullet says indoors or outdoors in a sheltered spot, including a kitchen windowsill. The listing also says the plants can be pruned into standards or cones, which is a later shaping job, not a clear stem in the box. Reviewers say the pots can be divided, and one counted about 30 plantlets across the two pots. Some reviews say one of the pair later looked dead while the other thrived, so a pair is not two guaranteed trees. The product data uses the same image URL as the single 10 cm listing, so the photograph does not prove two different plants. It is the top pick here on price per named plant and a usable review count, not because a finished standard arrives.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want two named plants and will divide extra stems rather than expect two trunks.
Less suitable: You need one photographed plant, or a pair of clear-stem standards this season.
Specifications
Common questions
How many plants are in the listing?
Two young plants, each in a 10 cm pot. The title names Laurus nobilis. The listed price is about £16.99.
Does the listing allow indoor growing?
The bullet says indoors or outdoors in a sheltered position, including a kitchen windowsill. The sunlight specification line says partial shade.
Do reviewers describe two single trees?
Reviewers say the pots can be divided. One counted about 30 plantlets across the two pots. Some reviews also say one of the pair later looked dead while the other thrived.
The 9 cm Carbeth pot is a bay laurel herb for cooking at £11.99, with 4.4 from 283 reviews, the deeper file of the two cheaper singles. The title does not say Laurus nobilis. The bullet calls it a bushy evergreen shrub, and the specification line says outdoor and partial shade, not indoor. Several reviews describe more than one seedling in the 9 cm pot, and dry brown leaves on arrival also recur. Amazon's expected height is 9 cm, the pot, so this is a juvenile you pot on, not a doorway tree. It is the best value in this set because £11.99 matches the other cheap single while 283 reviews give you more condition notes than 24. You still have to accept outdoor-only wording and the dry-leaf complaints.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the lower price and a review sample in the hundreds, and you will pot the plant on outdoors.
Less suitable: You need Laurus nobilis on the title, or an indoor line on the specification.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Latin name in the title?
No. The title says bay laurel herb for cooking in a 9 cm pot. The listed price is about £11.99.
Does the specification say indoor or outdoor?
Outdoor, and partial shade. It does not say indoor.
What do reviews say about the pot?
Several reviews describe more than one seedling in the 9 cm pot. Dry brown leaves on arrival also recur.
Carbeth's 12 cm bay laurel is one bushy plant at £15.99, and the amazon.co.uk line is 4.1 from 119 reviews, the lowest stars in this set. The title says bay laurel rather than Laurus nobilis, so you are relying on the common name, not a Latin name on the title. The specification line says indoor and outdoor and partial shade, and a bullet also says indoors in pots or outdoors as a shrub or tree. Several reviews describe rooted cuttings or many short stems, not one trunk, and dry compost with brown or eaten leaves comes up as well. The expected height is 12 cm, which again matches the pot. At the same £15.99 as the 13 cm plant, you pay the higher shelf price for a weaker star line and no Latin name.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already want the indoor-and-outdoor wording and will inspect the plant on arrival.
Less suitable: You want Laurus nobilis in the title, or 4.5 from 1,018 reviews at the same price.
Specifications
Common questions
What pot and count are stated?
One bushy bay plant in a 12 cm pot. The title says bay laurel, not the Latin name. The listed price is about £15.99.
Does the listing say indoor or outdoor?
The specification line says indoor and outdoor, and partial shade. The bullet also says indoors in pots and outdoors as a shrub or tree.
What do reviews say about the plant in the pot?
Several reviews say the pot held rooted cuttings or many short stems, not one trunk. Dry compost and brown or eaten leaves also come up.
Scores use the six amazon.co.uk Carbeth listings kept in this comparison, the shelf prices and star lines on those pages, and the review notes for the same ASINs. This is not a laboratory test. The scoring note has four parts that total 105 points before named deductions. The weights below are those parts scaled so they sum to 100. Deductions: recurring dry compost or brown leaves on arrival, minus 4; a tight rootball as the repeated snag in a small review file, minus 2; the same image URL as another ASIN, minus 2; some reviews saying one of a pair later looked dead, minus 3. Extra stems are common across these pots and are not a separate deduction. One mealybug review is not treated as an infestation rate. The highest score is the top pick, once. Best value is the highest value-part score on a different product. The two about £11.99 plants tie on value and on total score, so best value follows the larger review sample.
Stars
38%Stars are (amazon rating / 5) times 40, rounded. That part is 40 of the 105-point note, shown here as 38. The pair and the 13 cm plant are both 4.5, so both take 36 points before the other parts. A star line is not a measurement of leaf quality.
Listing fit
24%Latin name on the title and a site line that names indoor or outdoor scores highest. Latin name without indoor use on the specification lines scores lower. A culinary or cooking title without the Latin name scores lower still, and lower again if sunlight is missing from the specification block. That part is 25 of the 105-point note, shown here as 24.
Review sample
19%100 or more reviews take the full sample band. 50 to 99 sit in the next band. 10 to 49 sit below that. The 13 cm plant has 1,018 reviews. The 9 cm plant has 283. The culinary 12 cm bush has 20. That part is 20 of the 105-point note, shown here as 19.
Value in this set
19%About £8.50 per plant scores highest in this set. About £11.99 per plant is next. About £15.99 per plant is lowest. The two about £11.99 plants tie, so best value follows the larger review sample: the 9 cm pot with 283 reviews, not the 10 cm herb with 24. That part is 20 of the 105-point note, shown here as 19.
Choose the species, the pot and the plant count before you picture a doorway tree. These six listings are young Carbeth nursery pots. A clear-stem standard is a different purchase.
A bay laurel plant is a live Laurus nobilis, also called sweet bay, an evergreen shrub whose aromatic leaves flavour soups and stews. On amazon.co.uk this set is young Carbeth nursery plants in 9-13 cm pots. They are starters, not lollipop standards and not artificial topiary. A standard, with a clear stem and a clipped head, is a different purchase in a larger pot and at a higher price.
Amazon's expected height on these six listings repeats 9, 10, 12 or 13 cm and matches the pot. None of them states a mature height. These are juveniles you pot on, not doorway trees.
Artificial, faux and silk bay trees are the wrong type. Cherry laurel is Prunus laurocerasus, a hedge, not a bay leaf. Do not cook it. Culinary bay is Laurus nobilis, and its berries are not for eating.
The RHS wants free-draining compost, peat-free John Innes No. 2 or No. 3 plus grit in a pot. Over-watering damages roots. Bay is poor in wet soil. If the ground is heavy and wet, stay in a container and do not leave the pot standing in water all winter.
You want Laurus nobilis on the title, or a title that says bay laurel or sweet bay for cooking. Reject artificial bay trees and other herbs. Cherry laurel is a hedge, not a kitchen leaf. A bushy nursery pot is a starter. A standard, with a clear stem and a clipped head, is a different purchase in a larger pot at a higher price. These six listings are starters.
Give the plant sun or partial shade, shelter, and free-draining compost. The RHS growing guide points to peat-free John Innes No. 2 or No. 3 plus grit in a pot. If the soil is heavy and wet, stay in a container. Bay is generally hardy to about -5°C, hardier in the ground than in a pot. Below about -5°C, that guide says fleece or a move to a greenhouse, porch or cool room up to 10°C, and wrap the pot so the roots do not freeze.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want Laurus nobilis on the title and two pots, and you will divide extra stems rather than expect two trunks. The pair at about £16.99 is about £8.50 a plant, with 4.5 from 66 reviews. Shaping into a standard is described as possible, not supplied.
You will repot a small bush and pick a few leaves this year, outdoors. The 9 cm cooking bay is about £11.99, with 4.4 from 283 reviews. The specification says outdoor, not indoor, and reviews often mention extra seedlings and dry brown leaves.
You want one named Laurus nobilis and the deepest review sample in this set, and you will check the live offer. The 13 cm pot is about £15.99, with 4.5 from 1,018 reviews. On 19 October 2026 a search showed no featured offer, and several reviewers found many stems rather than one trunk.
The top pick is two Carbeth Laurus nobilis plants in 10 cm pots at about £16.99, about £8.50 a plant, scoring 87 with 4.5 from 66 reviews. The title names the species, and you may be splitting clumps rather than receiving two trunks. Best value is the 9 cm cooking bay at about £11.99, scoring 82 with 4.4 from 283 reviews, the larger sample of the two plants at that price. Skip the pair if you need one photographed plant. Skip the 9 cm pot if you need Laurus nobilis on the title or an indoor line on the specification.
Carbeth Plants Bay Laurel Plant Herb for Cooking in A 9cm Pot
Same value score as the other about £11.99 plant, and 283 reviews against 24, so it is best value.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources named below. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts on these six listings are the figures kept for this comparison. A search on 19 October 2026 showed no featured offer on B07B6NWPXL. Page updated 21 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Lee Burkhill (Garden Ninja) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are taken from those listings. We did not run a lab test.
