Description

Dosul Laurului is a protected area of national interest, located in Arad County, on the administrative territory of Gurahonț commune. The nature reserve is located in the northern part of Zimbru village. The place was first mentioned in 1883, when the laurel was identified by a botanist.
It covers an area of 32.2 hectares and it is a protected area for the laurel specie (Ilex aquifolium). Laurel trees are surrounded by beech (Fagus sylvatica), birch (Betula pendula), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), cherry (Prunus avium), holm oak, sycamore and elm trees. The forest, in its entirety, has an area of 83 hectares.
Here is the only place in Romania where you can find specimens of laurel, a rare plant protected by law. In addition, it is the northernmost (Mediterranean area) and, at the same time, the easternmost (Atlantic area) place where this plant grows. Dosul Laurului is at an altitude of 300 meters.
The place where the laurel grows is surrounded by hills with dense forests, which have managed to protect them so far. The climate is mild and humid, favorable for the development of this plant, a species that is particularly important from a scientific point of view, because it is a tertiary relict.
Laurel has many legends. In Greek mythology, the tree originally appeared when the nymph Daphne turned into this tree to escape the tracing of Apollo, the god of Olympus. Another legend, this time local, says that the locals hid all their wealth in the thick laurel clumps when they attacked the barbarians. Another legend tells of Count Jelinski, who allegedly brought this shrub to impress the locals, but also to have a place to hide the most important part of his fortune.
The laurel or the bay is a species of aromatic plant in the Lauraceae family, tree or shrub, which reaches up to 10–18 m in height, native to the Mediterranean area. It grows in the form of bushes, creating thickets. The leaves are 3-8 cm long and dark green. The leaf is glossy and wavy, spiky at the edges. It grows to a height of 2.5 meters and blooms in May. Its flowers are white and make a small, round, red fruit that ripens in August. The fruit remains on the branches until the following year and contains a single seed.
The laurel has been declared a natural monument and has a total conservation regime.
The access to the reservation is made from Arad through Sebiş to Gurahonț. From here, one can follow a communal road to the Zimbru village, from where there is a forest road that reaches Dosul Laurului.