Experts have expressed amazement at a massive bay leaf (pimenta racemosa) tree growing in the Union valley.
Former Chief Wildlife Officer Donald Anthony told St Lucia Times it is the biggest bay leaf tree he has ever seen.
He said two St. George’s University professors who saw it were ‘astounded’.
“They have never seen a bay leaf tree that big,” Anthony said.
“The tree is approximately seven feet in circumference at breast height. It is growing in a valley near Lucian Country Life,” he disclosed.
In addition, Anthony, a director at Lucian Country Life, told St. Lucia Times the tree was between eighty and one hundred feet high.
He was sure that it was there for many years.
“I was astonished to see how big it had grown. There are two of them – almost side by side. And even on our property at Lucian Country Life, we have another big one,” Anthony stated.
He disclosed that in Saint Lucia, there are about five bay leaf varieties, and some trees can be huge.
“Who knows?” He chuckled in response to whether the tree he saw could enter the Guinness Book of World Records.
And Chief Forestry Officer Alwyn Dornelly said such an entry was worth exploring.
Dornelly described the tree as unique and worth documenting.
People use the bay leaf in cooking.
They also use it to make bay rum and tea.Â
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7 COMMENTS
Amazing story…would love to see it one day! Clarification….7 feet in circumference? Diameter would be more easily understood by readers than circumference especially when describing tree sizes. Thanks for sharing nonetheless.
You all need to export that to the UK. I see bay leaf in that place already and it has zero smell. So explore the EU market. some people do use it in food. Personally, I stop going to some food place up north cause the man was using bay leaf in food. I drink bay leaf tea. I dont eat that.
Be careful with this story, guys could start cutting chunks of it to sell as medicine. Every bit is potent; the potency of the leaves alone have proved to contain elements of Alcohol, to start with. (its left to see how long this tree is left standing) May the Lord bless St. Lucia.
Haven’t seen the tree but I am excited.It is good to know that simple things are still cherish.Thank you for some good information that puts a smile on our faces today .
@nooks : Circumference is equal to pie x diameter.
Pie = 3.14
Circumference = 7’
Diameter = (7’ / 3.4)= 2.2’
Where is my ski mask and chain saw …. I got my mind on my money and my money on my mind.
I
Actually… It’s a bay rum tree. Bay leaf is a different species. Google can confirm.
Amazing story…would love to see it one day! Clarification….7 feet in circumference? Diameter would be more easily understood by readers than circumference especially when describing tree sizes. Thanks for sharing nonetheless.
You all need to export that to the UK. I see bay leaf in that place already and it has zero smell. So explore the EU market. some people do use it in food. Personally, I stop going to some food place up north cause the man was using bay leaf in food. I drink bay leaf tea. I dont eat that.
Be careful with this story, guys could start cutting chunks of it to sell as medicine. Every bit is potent; the potency of the leaves alone have proved to contain elements of Alcohol, to start with. (its left to see how long this tree is left standing) May the Lord bless St. Lucia.
Haven’t seen the tree but I am excited.It is good to know that simple things are still cherish.Thank you for some good information that puts a smile on our faces today .
@nooks : Circumference is equal to pie x diameter.
Pie = 3.14
Circumference = 7’
Diameter = (7’ / 3.4)= 2.2’
Where is my ski mask and chain saw …. I got my mind on my money and my money on my mind.
I
Actually… It’s a bay rum tree. Bay leaf is a different species. Google can confirm.