月桂屬常綠灌木或小喬木，原產地中海及小亞細亞一帶。樹皮灰黑色，小枝圓柱形，具縱向細條紋，幼嫩部分略被微柔毛或近乎無毛。葉互生，長橢圓形或長橢圓狀披針形，邊緣細波狀，革質。雌雄異株，繖形花序腋生。雄花每一繖形花序有花5朵，花黃綠色；雌花通常有退化雄蕊 4枚，與花被片互生。花期 3~5月。果為漿果，橢圓形或橢圓狀球形，暗紫色，具有光澤，果肉芬芳，含有月桂油。種子茶褐色，橢圓形，種皮上有黑褐色斑紋。果期6~9月。

An evergreen shrub or small tree in the genus Laurus, native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Bark grayish black, branchlets cylindrical and vertically fissured, pubescent or nearly glabrous on the new growing parts. Leaves alternate, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, margin finely undulate, leathery. Dioecious, umbels axillary. Male flowers have 5 yellow-green flowers in an umbel; female flowers usually have 4 degenerate stamens alternate with perianth. Flowering from March to May. Fruits are berries, oval or oval-shaped, dark purple, glossy, fragrant, and contain laurel oil. Seeds brown, oval, with dark brown markings on the seed coat. Fruiting from June to September.

以富含有機質排水良好的土壤為佳，喜濕潤地。種子繁殖或扦插繁殖。

Soils rich in organic matter, moisture and well-drained are preferred. Propagated by seeds or cuttings.

可做行道樹、綠籬、整型樹。葉子是調味料，可加以蒸餾得到月桂油；根及果實也可用於藥用，做為發汗劑及催吐劑。

The plants can be planted as street trees, hedge, and topiary trees. The leaves are seasonings for cooking, and can be distilled to extract bay oil; the roots and fruits have medicinal purposes as diaphoretic and emetic.