Cinnamomum camphora
Camphor Tree, Camphor LaurelFamily: Lauraceae
Origin: China, Japan
This is an exotic tree that has been widely cultivated for more than a century as a shade and ornamental tree in Florida and elsewhere. This is the aromatic tree from which camphor was derived (used in medicines and mothballs), until camphor oil began to be made artificially in the 1920s. The camphor quickly grows into a good-looking shade tree which is frequented by berry-eating birds. The camphor tree is a broad-leaved evergreen that is often twice as wide as it is tall. It grows to 50 to 100 feet tall. Where trees are present, the ground is often well-populated with camphor seedlings or small trees; of course this is when they are easiest to control. A quick way to identify camphor is to crush some leaves in order to smell the pungent camphor odor. Camphor trees are densely covered with shiny oval and elliptical leaves, up to 5 inches long. Young leaves are reddish. In spring, the tree grows 3 inch spikes of very small yellowish-white flowers, which are soon replaced by black pea-sized berries. Camphors grow either in full sun or light shade, and prefer well-drained, sandy soil.
Similar plants:
Branches and leaves are used for aromatic medicinal sauna.