Accession Data:
Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl.
- Common Name: Camphor Tree
- Family: Lauraceae Juss.
- Country of Origin: Taiwan, Japan
- Habitat: Banks of streams in China
- Description: [syn. Camphora officinalis Nees ex Steud.; Laurus Camphora L.]
Handsome tree, to 100 feet, branches yellow-brown, buds enclosed by large imbricate scales; leaves alternate, ovate-elliptic, to 5 inches long, acuminate, whitish beneath, shed in early spring and immediately replaced by new leaves; panicles shorter than leaves; flowers yellow; fruit globose, black.
Thrives in southern California and in southermost US states; useful as a specimen tree for parks or for row plantings along streets. The wood is much used in cabinetwork in the orient; twigs, leaves and wood distilled to produce camphor.
This plant is listed as a Category 1 plant by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council as it is quite invasive and disruptive of native plant communities. An eradication effort is underway in many areas of Florida.
- Uses: Camphor oil has a strong penetrating fragrance, a pungent bitter flavor, and feels cool on the skin like menthol, though it also has irritating qualities as well as a numbing effect. Camphor has been used to treat ailments ranging from parasitic infections to toothaches. Scientific evidence has confirmed that chemicals in the plant have value in antiseptics and medications for treating diarrhea, inflammation, itching, and nervous conditions. Known in traditional Chinese medicine as Gui Zhi.
- IMPORTANT NOTE: Plant Uses are for informational purposes only. EEB Greenhouses assume no responsibility for adverse effects from the use of any plants referred to on this site. Always seek advice from a professional before using any plant medicinally.
- USDA Zone: 8-10
Accession Data:
- Accession # 198501480
- Source: Unknown
- Recorded Vouchers:
- Voucher 129183 at George Safford Torrey Herbarium (CONN). Specimen collected 17 February 2005. Herbarium Image.
- Accession Date: 12-31-1985
- Bench: 2301 - Temperate Asia
- Currently: active - healthy
- Qty: 1 confirmed on 04-10-2023
- Restrictions:
- Potentially Invasive Plant - Plants are not to leave Greenhouse!
- Potentially Invasive Plant - Plants are not to leave Greenhouse!
Classification:
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- SubClass: magnoliids
- Order: Laurales
- SubOrder:
- Family: Lauraceae
- SubFamily:
- Tribe:
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Flowering Data:
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References (internal):
- Medicinal Plants
- Basal Angiosperms (paleodicots)
- Invasive Species
- EEB 3271 - Systematic Botany
- Medicinal Plants - Respiratory System
- Medicinal Plants - Digestive System
- Plants with Vouchers deposited in CONN
- Medicinal Plants - Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Currently Featured Medicinal Plants
References (external):
- Plants For A Future Website
- Floridata Website
- Image #00 & #02 by Poyt448 Peter Woodard (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons. Last accessed on Thursday, December 07, 2017.
- The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Thursday, December 07, 2017.
- Cinnamomum camphora at ARS-GRIN. Last accessed on Thursday, December 07, 2017.
data regenerated on Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:27:01 -0400 [bcm v4.0]
Images:
Additional images for this accession:
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Current Accessions in the Lauraceae
W/C = Wild Collected
= indicates flowering in past 14 days
= images available for this accession
= map available for this accession
= accession added within past 90 days