Family: Lauraceae
Species: Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J. Presl
Common name: Camphor tree English: Camphor tree
Etymology
Camphora comes from the mediaeval Latin “camphora,” which is derived from the Arabic al-kafúr and the Sanskrit karpúra, which means camphor.
Description
A large evergreen tree that can live for more than a thousand years, its trunk can reach heights of 40–50 metres. The light bark is very rough, with vertical fissures. The young, lanceolate leaves are mainly decorative, displaying an orange-red colour before turning into a beautiful, deep green. They are leathery, thick, and persistent, with a shiny, waxy appearance and a distinct smell of camphor when crushed.
Its cream-coloured panicle flowers in spring are almost invisible, and its fruits, which grow in clusters, are blackberries (drupes) about 1 cm in diameter.
Habitat
C. camphora is native to China, southern Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, and it was subsequently introduced to many other countries. In Australia and the United States in particular, it has become an invasive species. In Italy, it is present in the Mediterranean area only if cultivated.
Properties and Uses
C. camphora has long been cultivated for camphor and timber. Its wood has insect-repellent qualities.
Camphor has been used for centuries as a culinary spice and a component of incense.
The essential oil is employed as a moth repellent and can act as a fluidifier of bronchial secretions and a possible antirheumatic.
Notes and Curiosities
A beautiful, grand, evergreen tree with a broad, rounded, and dense crown.
All parts of the plant contain camphor oil, which has been historically extracted for use in herbal medicine and as an insect deterrent. It appears as a waxy substance, typically white or transparent, with a characteristic odour.
Excessive intake of camphor can be toxic to humans.
In some regions of the world, planting this tree is banned because its seeds are highly fertile and risk making it a weed.
The plant is described as rustic because it tolerates cold and can withstand long periods of drought. However, it is best planted in protected, sheltered locations in areas prone to intense, prolonged cold.
Hruska brought the camphor trees in the Heller garden at the beginning of the twentieth century, when people suffering from lung diseases came from far and wide to Gardone Riviera for treatment. Since C. camphora, with its balsamic effects, helps make the air favourable for treating such bronchial diseases, the presence of these plants has undoubtedly contributed positively to the area’s salubrious conditions.