BradyGregg4996 at 23:49, 6 May 2026

2026-05-06T23:49:21Z

New page

{{Short description|Species of tree}}
{{Redirect|Camphor tree|the tree native to the Malay Archipelago|Dryobalanops aromatica}}
{{Redirect|Camphorwood|the Australian tree|Cinnamomum oliveri}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Cinnamomum camphora20050314.jpg
|image_caption = An ancient camphor tree (estimated to be over 1,000 years old) in Japan
|status = LC
|status_system = IUCN3.1
|status_ref = <ref name = iucn>{{cite iucn |author=de Kok, R. |year=2021 |title=''Cinnamomum camphora'' |article-number=e.T15441072A15441116 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T15441072A15441116.en |language=en}}</ref>
|genus = Camphora
|species = officinarum
|authority = [[Boerh.]] ex [[Fabr.]]
|synonyms =
*''Camphora camphora'' {{small|(L.) H.Karst.}}
*''Camphorina camphora'' {{small|(L.) Farw.}}
*''Cinnamomum camphora'' {{small|([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]) [[Jan Svatopluk Presl|J.Presl.]]}}
*''Laurus camphora'' {{small|L.}}
*''Persea camphora'' {{small|(L.) Spreng.}}
|synonyms_ref = <ref name = powo>{{cite web |title=''Camphora officinarum'' Boerh. ex Fabr. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77328940-1 |website=[[Plants of the World Online]] |publisher=[[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]] |access-date=6 May 2026}}</ref>
}}

'''''Camphora officinarum''''' is a [[species]] of [[evergreen]] tree indigenous to warm temperate to subtropical regions of East Asia, including countries such as China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Korea, Japan and India. It is known by various names, most notably the '''camphor tree''', '''camphorwood''' or '''camphor laurel'''.<ref>[https://www.wood-database.com/camphor/ Camphor - The Wood Database]</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Yang |first1=Zhi |last2=Liu |first2=Bing |last3=Yang |first3=Yong |last4=Ferguson |first4=David K. |year=2022 |title=Phylogeny and taxonomy of Cinnamomum (Lauraceae) |journal=Ecology and Evolution |language=en |volume=12 |issue=10 |article-number=e9378 |doi=10.1002/ece3.9378 |issn=2045-7758 |pmc=9526118 |pmid=36203627|bibcode=2022EcoEv..12E9378Y }}</ref><ref>{{Cite report |title=Cinnamomum camphora (camphor laurel) |last=CABI |date=2022-01-07 |doi=10.1079/cabicompendium.13519 |language=en|doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Description ==
''Camphora officinarum'' grows up to {{convert|20|-|30|m|ft|abbr=on}} tall.<ref name=FoC/> In Japan, where the tree is called ''kusunoki'', five camphor trees are known with a trunk circumference above {{convert|20|m|ft|abbr=on}}, with the largest individual, {{nihongo|''Kamō no Ōkusu''|蒲生の大楠||"Great camphor of [[Kamō, Kagoshima|Kamō]]"}}, reaching {{convert|24.22|m|ft|abbr=on|frac=2}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wondermondo.com/Countries/As/Japan/Kyushu/KamounoOhkusu.htm |title=Kamou no Ohkusu |publisher=Wondermondo |date=2014-07-04 |access-date=2014-07-04 |archive-date=2017-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213023518/http://www.wondermondo.com/Countries/As/Japan/Kyushu/KamounoOhkusu.htm }}</ref>

The leaves have a glossy, waxy appearance and smell of [[camphor]] when crushed. In spring, it produces bright green foliage with masses of very small white fragrant [[flower]]s from which its common namesake "smells good tree" in Chinese {{lang|zh|香樟}} {{lang|zh-Latn-pinyin|xiang zhang}} was given. It produces clusters of black, berry-like [[fruit]] around {{convert|1|cm|abbr=on|frac=8}} in diameter. Its pale [[Bark (botany)|bark]] is very rough and fissured vertically.

{{gallery|mode=packed
|Cinnamomum camphora Turramurra railway.jpg|Foliage and fruit in [[Sydney]], Australia
}}

[[File:Camphor Grove Sha Tau Kok.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Camphor grove in [[Hong Kong]]]]
==Distribution and habitat==

The species is native to Japan, Korea, the [[Ryukyu Islands]], and Taiwan.<ref name = powo/> It has been introduced to China south of the [[Yangtze River]],<ref name=FoC>{{cite web|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200008697 |title=''Cinnamomum camphora'' |author1=Xi-wen Li |author2=Jie Li |author3=Henk van der Werff |work=Flora of China |publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA |access-date=27 March 2013}}</ref> the Himalayas, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, eastern Australia, the southeastern United States, and many other countries.<ref name = powo/>

==Ecology==
In Australia, the larval stages of two native butterflies, the [[Chaetocneme porphyropis|purple brown-eye]] and [[Chaetocneme beata|common red-eye]] feed on camphor despite it being an introduced plant.<ref>Wells, A., Edwards, E.D., Houston, W.W.K., ''Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea,'' Volume 31, CSIRO, 2001.</ref>

=== As an invasive species ===
[[Image:Cinnamomum camphora - Botanic Gardens.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Public gardens in [[Adelaide]], South Australia]]
===In Australia===

Camphor laurel was introduced to Australia in 1822 as an [[ornamental tree]] for use in gardens and public parks. It has become a [[noxious weed]] throughout [[Queensland]] and central to northern [[New South Wales]], where it is suited to the wet, subtropical climate. The camphor content of the [[leaf litter]] helps prevent other plants from germinating successfully, helping to ensure the camphor's success against any potentially competing vegetation,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-06 |title=NSW Department of Primary Industries, NSW WeedWise |url=https://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/Weeds/CamphorLaurel |access-date=2024-08-06}}</ref> and the seeds are attractive to birds and pass intact through the digestive system, ensuring rapid distribution. Camphor laurel invades rainforests and pastures, and also competes against [[eucalyptus]] trees, certain species of which are the sole food source of [[koala]]s. In its favour, however, younger camphor laurel trees can quickly develop hollows, which can be utilised by wildlife, whereas natives can take hundreds of years to develop hollows.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090208020558/http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pests-weeds/weeds/noxweed/noxious-app?sq_content_src=%252BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuYWdyaWMubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRnRvb2xzJTJGdmlld3dlZWQuaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%253D%253D&weed_id=28 Noxious weed declaration for NSW]</ref>

===In the United States===

Introduced to the [[contiguous United States]] around 1875, the species has become [[Naturalisation (biology)|naturalized]] in portions of [[Alabama]], [[California]], [[Florida]], [[Virginia]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[Hawaii]], [[Louisiana]], [[Mississippi]], [[North Carolina]], [[Texas]], and [[South Carolina]].<ref name="nrcs">{{cite web |title=Plants Profile: ''Cinnamomum camphora'' |url=https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=CICA |access-date=12 April 2010 |work=Natural Resources Conservation Service |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture}}</ref> It has been declared a category I [[invasive species]] in Florida.<ref name="usgs">{{cite web |author1=Forest Starr |author2=Kim Starr |author3=Lloyd Loope |date=January 2003 |title=''Cinnamomum camphora'' |url=http://www.hear.org/Pier/pdf/pohreports/cinnamomum_camphora.pdf |access-date=12 April 2010 |work=United States Geological Survey: Biological Resources Division |publisher=Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project}}</ref>

==Uses==

The species is 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.

The wood has an [[Insect repellent|insect-repellent]] quality.<ref>{{cite book|last=Little|first=Elbert L.|title=The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region|publisher=Knopf|location=New York|year=1980|isbn=0-394-50760-6|page=449}}</ref>

=== Camphor ===
{{Main|Camphor}}
Camphor is a white crystalline substance, obtained from the tree ''C. camphora''. Camphor has been used for many centuries as a culinary spice, a component of incense, and as a medicine. It is also an insect repellent and a flea-killing substance.

===Chemical constituents===
The species contains [[volatility (chemistry)|volatile]] [[chemical compound]]s in all plant parts, and the wood and leaves are [[steam distillation|steam distilled]] for the [[essential oils]]. Camphor laurel has six different chemical variants called [[chemotype]]s, which are [[camphor]], [[linalool]], 1,8-[[cineole]], [[nerolidol]], [[safrole]], and [[borneol]]. In China, field workers avoid mixing chemotypes when harvesting by their odour.<ref>Hirota, N. and Hiroi, M., 1967. 'The later studies on the camphor tree, on the leaf oil of each practical form and its utilisation', ''[[Perfumery and Essential Oil Record]]'' 58, 364–367.</ref><ref>Lawrence, B. M., 1995. 'Progress in essential oils', ''[[Perfumer and Flavorist]]'', 20, 29–41.</ref>

; Camphor type
: This type is dominant in India and Sri Lanka.<ref name="cwrr"/> The wood oil is separated into four fractions after camphor is removed by filtration, termed white, yellow, brown, and blue camphor oil.<ref name="tisserand"/> Oil contains 54–97% camphor.<ref name="pmid30041601"/>
; Linalool type
: This type is commonly found in Taiwan and Japan. Oil contains 80–85 linalool<ref name="cwrr"/> (another source gives a wider range of 58–92%).<ref name="pmid30041601"/> The leaf oil is called "ho leaf oil",<ref>{{cite web |title=cinnamomum camphora linalooliferum leaf extract|url=https://scentsandflavors.com/database/9dbb4b94-41f2-450f-907e-da60b43159bf|website=Scents and Flavors |publisher=Scents and Flavors |access-date=5 April 2026}}</ref> the wood oil "ho wood oil"<ref>{{cite web |title=cinnamomum camphora linalooliferum wood extract|url=https://scentsandflavors.com/database/9dbb4bd5-ab9a-46e0-9d02-6c3c59e3b040|website=Scents and Flavors |publisher=Scents and Flavors |access-date=5 April 2026}}</ref> (after removal of safrole), and the mixture of both "shiu oil".<ref name="tisserand"/>
; Cineole (eucalyptol) type
: This type is dominant in Madagascar. The oil contains 40–50% cineole<ref name="cwrr"/> (another source gives 32–52%).<ref name="pmid30041601"/> The essential oil from the Madagascar tree leaves is commercially known as ''ravintsara''.<ref name="cwrr">{{cite web|url=http://www.cropwatch.org/Ravensara-Ravintsara%20biblio%20v1.01.pdf|title=Ravensara/Ravintsara Bibliography v1.01|author=Behra, Burfield|date=May 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304054022/http://www.cropwatch.org/Ravensara-Ravintsara%20biblio%20v1.01.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2011|version=Compiled by CropWatch v1.01}}</ref><ref name="tisserand">{{cite web |last1=Institute |first1=Tisserand |title=Cinnamomum Camphora: It's Many Names and Chemotypes |url=https://tisserandinstitute.org/learn-more/cinnamomum-camphora/ |website=Tisserand Institute}}</ref>
: The cineole fraction of camphor laurel is used in China to manufacture fake "[[eucalyptus oil]]".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161224183232/https://books.google.com/books?id=hrWuqmtwJiEC&pg=PA20&lpg=PA20&dq=china+eucalyptus+oil+use&source=web&ots=IsiuQiHnDX&sig=p4113dfJqln9BdWCcwQv5xKmBio&hl=en Ashurst, P.R., ''Food Flavorings'', 1999]</ref>
; Nerolidol type
: Oil contains 16–57% nerolidol.<ref name="pmid30041601"/>
; Safrole type
: This type is mentioned by few recent sources{{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}.
; Borneol type
: This type is commercially useful in China, as borneol is used in medicine. Oil contains 67–82% (-)-borneol.<ref name="pmid30041601">{{cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=C |last2=Zheng |first2=Y |last3=Zhong |first3=Y |last4=Wu |first4=Y |last5=Li |first5=Z |last6=Xu |first6=LA |last7=Xu |first7=M |title=Transcriptome analysis and identification of genes related to terpenoid biosynthesis in Cinnamomum camphora. |journal=BMC Genomics |date=24 July 2018 |volume=19 |issue=1 |page=550 |doi=10.1186/s12864-018-4941-1 |doi-access=free |pmid=30041601 |pmc=6057064}}</ref> Increased monoterpene production can be induced by mechanical damage.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Yang |first1=Z |last2=Xie |first2=C |last3=Huang |first3=Y |last4=An |first4=W |last5=Liu |first5=S |last6=Huang |first6=S |last7=Zheng |first7=X |title=Metabolism and transcriptome profiling provides insight into the genes and transcription factors involved in monoterpene biosynthesis of borneol chemotype of Cinnamomum camphora induced by mechanical damage. |journal=PeerJ |date=2021 |volume=9 |article-number=e11465 |doi=10.7717/peerj.11465 |doi-access=free |pmid=34249483 |pmc=8255067}}</ref>
; Isoborneol type
: At least two sources mention this type.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=SH |last2=Kim |first2=DS |last3=Park |first3=SH |last4=Park |first4=H |title=Phytochemistry and Applications of Cinnamomum camphora Essential Oils. |journal=Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) |date=22 April 2022 |volume=27 |issue=9 |page=2695 |doi=10.3390/molecules27092695 |doi-access=free |pmid=35566046|pmc=9102863 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Guo |first1=Xiali |last2=Cui |first2=Meng |last3=Deng |first3=Min |last4=Liu |first4=Xingxing |last5=Huang |first5=Xueyong |last6=Zhang |first6=Xinglei |last7=Luo |first7=Liping |title=Molecular differentiation of five Cinnamomum camphora chemotypes using desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry of raw leaves |journal=Scientific Reports |date=20 April 2017 |volume=7 |issue=1 |article-number=46579 |doi=10.1038/srep46579|pmid=28425482 |pmc=5397862 |bibcode=2017NatSR...746579G }}</ref>

==In culture==
[[File:Keihan Kayashima Station (01) IMG 5431 20130707.JPG|thumb|upright|Sacred camphor tree at [[Kayashima Station]]]]
Certain trees in Japan are considered sacred. An example of the importance of a [[sacred tree]] is the enshrined 700-year old camphor growing in the middle of [[Kayashima Station]]. Locals protested against moving the tree when the railway station had to be expanded, so the station was built around it.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://mymodernmet.com/kayashima-station-camphor-tree/|title = Japanese Train Station Protectively Built Around a 700-Year-Old Tree|date = 27 January 2017|access-date = 14 July 2021|archive-date = 5 June 2023|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230605003106/https://mymodernmet.com/kayashima-station-camphor-tree/}}</ref>

==See also==
* {{annotated link|Sandalwood}}
{{clear}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090519201130/http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/documents/Biosecurity_EnvironmentalPests/IPA-Camphor-Laurel-PP46.pdf Camphor laurel fact sheet]—Produced by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140114020241/http://www.camphorlaurel.com.au/ Campaign to stop the spread of camphor laurels in Australia]
* {{cite journal |last1=Yang |first1=Zerui |last2=Zhan |first2=Ting |last3=Xie |first3=Chunzhu |last4=Huang |first4=Song |last5=Zheng |first5=Xiasheng |title=Genome-wide analyzation and functional characterization on the TPS family provide insight into the biosynthesis of mono-terpenes in the camphor tree |journal=Plant Physiology and Biochemistry |date=March 2023 |volume=196 |pages=55–64 |doi=10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.01.039|pmid=36696798 |bibcode=2023PlPB..196...55Y }}

{{Transient receptor potential channel modulators}}
{{Woodworking}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q110692156|from2=Q158722}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Camphora|officinarum]]
[[Category:Trees of China]]
[[Category:Trees of Japan]]
[[Category:Trees of Korea]]
[[Category:Trees of Taiwan]]
[[Category:Trees of Vietnam]]
[[Category:Least concern flora of Asia]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants of Asia]]
[[Category:Spices]]
[[Category:Naturalized trees of Alabama]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1763]]
[[Category:Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN]]

Camphora officinarum - Revision history

BradyGregg4996 at 23:49, 6 May 2026