Camphor Laurel

Sit under the shade of a camphor laurel tree.

Camphor laurels are large shade trees that are evergreen and are typically used in parkland areas and gardens as an ornamental tree.
‘Camphor laurels’ are also known as ‘camphor trees’ and ‘camphorwood’.
The scientific name of a camphor laurel tree is Cinnamomum camphora, from the family Lauraceae, the family of laurels.
Camphor laurels grow to be 20 to 30 metres (65 to 100 feet) in height and can live for hundreds of years.
Camphor laurel leaves are typically green and glossy, and if they are crushed they give off a camphor scent.

In spring, camphor laurel trees have tiny flowers that are generally white in colour, that develop into small green berries that turn black when ripe, that contain a seed.
Camphor laurels are a significantly invasive species in Australia’s Queensland and New South Wales and in the United State’s Florida, as well as a weed in other states of the United States, and they are commonly spread by birds and animals that eat the berries and expel the seeds.
Camphor laurel trees produce camphor, that is extracted from the wood, which are chemical crystals that have a waxy texture and are used as a moth repellent, as well as for medicinal and culinary purposes.
Camphor laurels have a tendency to have a spreading and invasive root system that can disturb buildings and underground water and waste services.
Camphor laurels are native to south-east Asia, including China, Japan, Borneo, Taiwan, Vietnam and Korea and prefer hot, damp conditions.

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