The sweet bay leaf tree is a 40 to 50 feet tall tree native to the Mediterranean region. It was once made into a wreath to crown the winners of ancient Greek games. The tree is considered to be one of the oldest cultivated tree species. Bay leaves also known as sweet laurel leaf is a dried leaf that belongs to the family of Lauraceae and whose botanical name is Laurus nobilis.

Bay leaf is indigenous to Asia and reflects the shape of elliptical and the size of bay leaves vary from 2.5 to 5 cms in length & 1.5 to 2.5 in breadth. In India, bay leaves are popularly known as Tej Patta in Hindi and are mainly used as a culinary herb.