I am new to the forum, so please be gentle. I know this will be an easy one for most of you. Please note, I have researched this to the best of my ability to no avail. For years, on our property in East Texas, we have enjoyed the natural beauty of the woods in which we live. We take to care to conserve the natural landscape which is abundant with large oaks (multiple, including the beautiful nigra), black gum, sweet gum, cedar, and holly. The high canopy is complemented by the beautiful understory including Beauty Berry, wood ferns, and cinnamon ferns. However, one of the most prevalent and hardy shrubs are something we have always thought was a wild bay. These shrubs seem to flourish more along the creek banks, but they are also presents in somewhat dry sandy loam as well. After researching, the leaves are almost identical to Red Bay (aka Sweet Bay or Silk Bay) Persea borbonia var. borbonia . However, the fruit described to be on the Red Bay is a dark soft, fleshy, berry. While the shrubs in question have powdery blue "nuts" that grow along the stem of the plant much like a myrsine. So we are stumped (so to speak). Here are some pictures I just took. I hope the quality is adequate for you to make an identification. Is this a bay? If so, what kind? Can we cook with these leaves after drying, of course (assuming they are bay)? Thank you so much for your time. LINKS: http://www.hilton-house.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Bay.jpg http://www.hilton-house.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Bay1.jpg http://www.hilton-house.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Bay2.jpg http://www.hilton-house.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Bay3.jpg http://www.hilton-house.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Bay4.jpg http://www.hilton-house.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/Bay5.jpg
You ROCK! Thanks. I see that it's also called "Bayberry". I wonder if that's where I got the impression that it was bay.
