California laurel

noun

1. Also called bay tree. a tree, Umbellularia californica, of the laurel family, native to the western coast of the U.S., having aromatic leaves and umbels of yellowish-green flowers.
2. the hard, golden-brown wood of this tree, used for making furniture and decorative objects.

Word History and Origins

Origin of California laurel¹

An Americanism dating back to 1870–75