Cinnamomum camphora

Cinnamomum camphora




For the Australian tree also known as Camphorwood, see Cinnamomum oliveri.
Camphor Laurel


An ancient camphor tree, estimated to be over 1000 years old, in Japan
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Magnoliids
Order: Laurales
Family: Lauraceae
Genus: Cinnamomum
Species: C. camphora
Binomial name
Cinnamomum camphora
(L.) Sieb.
Cinnamomum
camphora (commonly known as Camphor tree, Camphorwood or camphor
laurel) is a large evergreen tree that grows up to 20–30 metres tall.
The leaves have a glossy, waxy appearance and smell of camphor when
crushed. In spring it produces bright green foliage with masses of small
white flowers. It produces clusters of black berry-like fruit around
one centimetre in diameter. It has a pale bark that is very rough and
fissured vertically.
Camphor
is a white crystalline substance, obtained from the tree Cinnamomum
camphora. Camphor has been used for many centuries as a culinary spice, a
component of incense, and as a medicine. Camphor is also an insect
repellent and a flea-killing substance.
Cinnamomum
camphora is native to Taiwan, southern Japan, southeast China and
Indochina, where it is also cultivated for camphor and timber
production. The production and shipment of camphor, in a solid, waxy
form, was a major industry in Taiwan prior to and during the Japanese
colonial era (1895–1945). It was used medicinally and was also an
important ingredient in the production of smokeless gunpowder and
celluloid. Primitive stills were set up in the mountainous areas in
which the tree is usually found. The wood was chipped; these chips were
steamed in a retort, allowing the camphor to crystallize on the inside
of a crystallization box, after the vapour had passed through a cooling
chamber. It was then scraped off and packed out to government-run
factories for processing and sale. Camphor was one of the most lucrative
of several important government monopolies under the Japanese.
















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