Laurus nobillis ‘Saratoga’ is a favorite evergreen tree for coastal installations. It’s extremely wind-tolerant with dense, waxy, leathery, and dark-green foliage that’s useful for cooking. It’s also very summer-dry tolerant when established and the fragrant foliage works particulary well for screening or as a wind barrier. This hard-working tree has interesting golden blooms and dark seed pods, yet it’s not very messy. It retains foliage well, performs best in cool coastal sun or partial shade, and it prefers little water. This tree can add interest to Bay Area landscapes with a well-structured form.