Bay tree

Claire204

I have been given this lovely tree as a Bay tree, however all the other bays I have are much more dense. Are there different varieties or does it need some tlc Any advise?

Rubytoo

Claire it looks okay to me, maybe been in the pot a while?
Or recently transplanted?

The ones you usually see very thick and densely leaved are because they have been clipped or pruned.
Yours looks a bit light coloured in places, but I think that is my eyes and the sun shining on it in the picture?

Basically looks okay though you have a slight wobble at the bottom of the stem. If someone gave it to you a lovely gift!
Pruning and feeding if you want a lollipop shape will come.
They sprout quite easily if you want to clip or cut it to a ball it will get new stems and sprouts at the base.
Sorry you will have to check correct pruning time, it may be a bit late to do now, it will have soft new growth going into winter, so not good.
Look up Laurus nobilis that is the correct name, for correct pruning time or someone will drop in with the best time.
Dry or use the leaves you cut off too.
Ours is old, big and I just like it for garden cover for birds so hack ours to heck any old time it needs it.

Claire204

Great thank you 😊 glad it is bay!

Rubytoo

I am pretty sure, hope you know what bay should smell/taste like.
You can snap and smell the leaf.
It does not look like Prunus laurocerasus or lucitanicus which they can be mistaken for. Laurocerasus has larger leaves  ( I added latin names for proper comparison and identification).
Your plant looks like it has the right shape size and texture leaf.

Claire204