Camptotheca acuminata

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Handsome tree from China, growing to 75' for warm zones. Easily grown from seed and can be kept pruned to desired size indoors with ample warmth and bright light. If cut back to ground level it seems to grow back even faster. Attractive ovate leaves have prominent venation. This tree produces a drug called "Camptothesin" that has shown considerable potential in cancer research.

Camptotheca is a genus of medium-sized deciduous trees, native to southern China and Tibet. They are usually included in the tupelo family Nyssaceae, but sometimes included (with the tupelos) in the dogwood family Cornaceae.

Close related species - Davidia involucrata.