Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 3034048

Redbay

Persea borbonia

Also known as Tisswood, Scrubbay, Shorebay, Swampbay

Redbay trees anchor maritime forests and coastal hammocks across the American South with dense, dark green foliage that remains vibrant year-round. Crushing the lance-shaped leaves releases a rich, spicy fragrance long valued as a traditional seasoning substitute for European bay leaves. Populations have faced severe decline due to laurel wilt disease, a fatal vascular fungus spread by an introduced ambrosia beetle.

EvergreenAromaticNative Tree
Redbay reference
Licensed referenceUSDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Public domain · cc0
—observations
—countries
—peak records
EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Sunlight
  • Water
  • Soil Nutrients
Predators
  • Redbay Ambrosia Beetle
  • Palamedes Swallowtail Caterpillar
  • White-tailed Deer
ThreatsLaurel wilt disease, redbay ambrosia beetle, habitat conversion
HabitatsCoastal forests, maritime hammocks, swamp margins, scrublands
Life span50–100 years
Classification
  1. OrderLaurales
  2. FamilyLauraceae
  3. GenusPersea
  4. SpeciesPersea borbonia
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild berries have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
What to notice
Look for dark evergreen foliage, bright red leaf stalks, and small blue-black berries in late summer.
Support conservation
Do not transport firewood or timber from affected areas to prevent spreading the invasive ambrosia beetle.
Responsible observation
  • Aromatic Test: Gently crush a mature leaf to release a distinct, warm bay leaf scent.
  • Disease Monitoring: Look for wilted red foliage and beetle boring holes along trunk bark.
  • Habitat Spotting: Search in coastal maritime forests, shrub wetlands, and oak hammocks.
Related species
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