Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J.Presl (LAURACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019
Camphorwood, Camphor Tree, Camphor Laurel

Description

Small evergreen tree to 40 m tall with spreading thick crown. Leaves 4.5-11 cm long, alternately arranged, elliptic, trinerved. Flowers in lax axillary clusters, creamy white. Fruits rounded, 7-8 mm across ripening purple-black.

Ecology

In lowland forest.

Distribution

China, Taiwan, S Japan, Korea and Vietnam.

Uses

Wood produces a brownish yellow timber with spicy odour. Chinese sassafras oil, linalool, safrole or cineole and camphor from distillation of its wood. Often planted as ornamental.