Laurel, which boasts the title noble by ancient tradition and still retains traces of it in its taxonomic name (Laurus nobilis), is a European evergreen plant belonging to the Lauraceae family. Although it has Mediterranean origins at a spontaneous level, cultivation has allowed it to spread vastly and, today, it is also found in territories remote from the scrub. Its leaves, which are leathery and shiny on the upper part, are intensely aromatic. It blooms in April and produces a particular fruit, called drupe, which ripens in winter.
Edible and widely used in the culinary field, laurel is endowed with a marked versatility, so much that it has always been considered a sort of panacea, on a popular level. Several scientific studies conducted on the chemical composition of the leaves and fruits of this noble tree have, in fact, demonstrated the presence of numerous bioactive compounds including terpenoids, anthocyanins and other types of flavonoids. For this reason, it is also used as a medicine and in cosmetics.