Basic Information and Characteristics of the Camphor Tree
The camphor tree is an evergreen large tree of the genus Cinnamomum in the family Lauraceae, also known as camphor, camphorwood, stinking camphor, black camphor and so on. The entire plant has a camphor aroma, is resistant to harmful gases such as chlorine, sulfur dioxide, ozone and fluorine gas, can repel mosquitoes and flies, can be used to extract camphor and camphor oil, and its wood is suitable for making furniture and boxes. Let us take a look below at what information there is about the camphor tree!
Morphological Characteristics
The camphor tree can reach a height of 30 m and a diameter of 3 m. Its crown is broadly ovate, and its branches, leaves and wood all have a camphor odor. The bark is yellowish brown, the terminal buds are broadly ovate or spherical, and the branches are cylindrical. The leaves are alternate, ovate-elliptic, and the petioles are slender. When young, the bark is green and smooth, and when old it gradually becomes yellowish brown or grayish brown with vertical fissures. The panicles are axillary and stalked. The flowers are greenish white or tinged with yellow, the outside of the perianth is hairless or slightly pubescent, the perianth tube is obconical, and the perianth lobes are elliptical. The ovary is spherical and hairless. The fruit is ovoid or nearly spherical and purple-black. The flowering period is April to May, and the fruiting period is August to November.
Growth Habits
The camphor tree is mostly light-loving and slightly shade-tolerant. It likes a warm and humid climate and is not very cold-hardy. It is suitable for growing in sandy loam and is relatively tolerant of water and moisture, but when transplanting, care must be taken to maintain soil moisture, as waterlogging can easily lead to root rot, oxygen deprivation and death. However, it is not tolerant of drought, barren soil or saline-alkali soil. The main root is well developed, it is a deep-rooted species, and it can resist wind. It has strong sprouting ability and tolerates pruning. Its growth rate is medium, and the tree form is huge like an umbrella, able to provide shade and coolness.
Distribution Range
The camphor tree adapts to altitudes below 1800 m, and in the growth areas south of the Yangtze River and in the southwest, the altitude can reach 1000 m. It mainly grows on fertile sunny slopes, valleys and flat riverside land in the subtropics. It is produced in the southern and southwestern provinces and regions of our country, and is also distributed in Vietnam, Korea and Japan. It is often introduced and cultivated in other countries. The Yibin area of Sichuan Province has the widest growth area, and the main breeding and propagation bases include Shuyang in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and other places.
Cultivation Value
1. Economic value: The roots, wood, branches and leaves of the camphor tree can all be used to extract camphor and camphor oil. Camphor is used for medicine, plastics, explosives, preservation, insecticide and so on, and camphor oil can be used as a raw material for pesticides, ore dressing, soap making, varnish and essence. The wood is of good quality, resistant to insect damage and tolerant of water and moisture, and is used for construction, shipbuilding, furniture, boxes and cabinets, boards, carving and so on.
2. Landscape value: The camphor tree has dense branches and leaves, a large crown and dense shade, and a majestic tree posture. It can absorb smoke and retard dust, conserve water, fix soil and prevent sand, and beautify the environment. It is an excellent tree species for urban greening and is widely used as a shade tree, street tree, shelterbelt and scenic forest, and is often used for garden ornament. When planted in clumps, groups or singly in lawns, or used as a background tree, it is majestic and spectacular. Because of its relatively strong resistance to a variety of toxic gases, its relatively strong ability to absorb and retard dust, and its ability to absorb harmful gases, it is often used in cities and industrial and mining areas.
3. Medicinal value: The bark of the camphor tree has the effect of promoting qi flow and is used to treat lower limb ulcers. The fruit of the camphor tree has the effect of relieving exterior syndrome and reducing fever, and is used to treat high fever and cold, measles, whooping cough, dysentery and other conditions. The root of the camphor tree has the effect of regulating qi and invigorating blood and removing wind-dampness, and is used to treat vomiting and diarrhea, distending pain in the heart and abdomen, wind-dampness arthralgia, traumatic injuries and other conditions. Camphorwood has the effect of dispelling wind-dampness, promoting qi and blood flow and benefiting the joints, and is used to treat distending pain in the heart and abdomen, beriberi, gout, scabies, traumatic injuries and other conditions.