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The Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora) is another one admirable tree with multiple utility.
But all of us, who once uppon a time were children and have been forced to use its classic stenchful formulation to cope with the cold, dare to say that we are equally admirable.
And as all this article shows, dedicated to the Camphor tree, that it will be – let’s not be shy with the words – also admirable.
If it is essential, then even better for the persistent and yet endure, in another one unbearable introduction, reader.
The wide canopy of Camphor tree offers its summer shade.
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Familh: Lauraceae
Genus: Cinnamomum
Scientific Name: Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J.Presl.
Common Names: Camphor Tree, Camphor Laure, Camphortree, Japanese Camphor, Chinese Sassafras
Leaf Persistence
Evergreen
Form
Tree
Texture
Medium
Growth Rate
Fast
Flowering Period (Northern Hemisphere)
April – May
Fruiting Period
Fall – Winter
Height
12-15 m (40-50 ft)
Diameter
15-21 m (50-70 ft)
Leaves Shape
Lanceolate
Foliage Colour
Green
Autumn Foliage Colour
Green
Flowers Shape
Tubular
Flowers Colour
White-Yellowish White
Fruit
Dark Blue to Black Drype
Soil Type: Sandy, loamy, clayey with excellent drainage, acidic to slightly alkaline
Soil pH: 4.3-8
Watering: Medium
Exposure: Sun, Half-Shade
Hardiness: -4 °C (USDA Hardiness Zone 9b)
Specimen, garden, urban streets and parks
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
The name of the genus Cinnamomum comes from the Ancient Greek word κιννάμωμον, which means spice and which later became κίνναμον and in this form – cinnamone – it was passed into the Old French language.
However, the ultimate origin of the word is Phoenician and is related to the Hebrew ‘קִנמָּוֹ ן’ (qinnāmōn).
The name of species camphora has more adventurous and exotic origins. It comes from the Malay Proto-Austronesian language and the word qapuR, which means lime and calcium.
From there, it passed to Sanskrit as karpūraḥ to reach through the Arabic and Medieval Latin to French as camphre. Camphre in the Neo-Latin form of camphora gave the name to the species.
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Camphor Tree has its center of origin in Taiwan and Japan. In Japan, tree populations are located on the islands of Ryukyu (琉球), Kyushu (九州), Honshu (本州) – which is also the largest of the islands of the Japanese Archipelago – and the island of Shikoku (四国) – the smallest of bigs on the Land of Rising Sun.
In China, in areas south of the Yangtze River, Korea and Vietnam, where natural Camphor Tree populations are found, at an altitude of 50 to 2100 m (165-6.900 ft), it can be considered as an archaeophyte.
Camphor Laure is a long-lived species. In Japan, there is the famous Kamō no Ōkusu (蒲生の大楠), Kamou no Ohkusu, Great Camphor of Kamo (Camo is a suburb of the city of Kagoshima – 鹿児島市), whose age is estimated around 1500 years. The circumference of the tree at the height of 1.3 m (4.2 ft) was measured in 2001 and was only 24.22 m (79.46 ft).
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Camphor Laure is medium-sized and fast-growing evergreen tree, which usually develops a trunk, but sometimes more.
The canopy of the tree is mainly oval – rarely ellipsoid – and is generally dense, symmetrical, with a regular outline.
Growing up the tree, the crown grows widthwise, giving to Camphor Tree the shape of an upside down cup.
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
The roots of the tree are largely surface and extend far enough.
The trunk is short and the deeply furrowed bark is grayish brown and its perimeter can reach and /or exceed 3 m (10 ft).
Twigs are of medium thickness, pale brown or pink in color, which becomes light brown in the older branches.
The stems and branches are smooth and hairless and rather thin. The buds, the terminal ones are smooth and large, the outers are smaller and scales glabrous while the inners, smaller too, covered with fine silky hair.
The leaves of Camphor Tree are oval and/or obovoid in shape, are acutely and arranged spirally or mainly alternately on the stems to which they are attached by a slender petiole, of 1.5 to 4 cm (0.6-1.6 in) in length.
The color of the young leaves, for the first 15 to 20 days, is pink or purple, while in the mature becomes deep green, with three to five distinct yellowish nerves.
Their texture is more or less leathery while their size ranges from 7 to 12 cm (2.7-4.7 in) in length and 3 to 5 cm (1.2-2 in) in width.
The flowers of Camphor Tree are found in the same tree – monoecious species – and are hermaphrodite. They are carried on axillary stems of 7 to 10 cm (2.7-3.9 in) in length, which ends in a panicle inflorescence.
A very small pedicel, 1 to 2 mm (0.04-0.8 in), connects them to the flowers.
Flowers are numerous, membranous and fragrant. They are small in size (florets), with a length of about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) and a diameter of 4 to 6 mm (0.16-0.24 in), tubular in shape, while each flower consisted of 6 white acutish tepals.
The stamens are carried six outer and three inner, and the broad anthers color is yellow. The ovary has a length and a width of about 1 mm and, like the funnel-shaped, style is smooth.
Camphor Tree flowering in Spring, usually in April through May. However, it has been observed to flowering sometime since February, and rarely, it also happens to have a second flowering cycle from August to September.
Pollination occurs with insects (mainly of the Diptera order).
The produced fruit is spherical drype with only a seed having a diameter of 6 to 7 mm. Fruit color is very dark blue or black, which it receives during its riper, about the end of summer with autumn, while its diameter varies between 0.5 and 1 cm (0.2- 2.5 in).
The fruit attracts the birds, which contribute to the dispersal of the tree.
Camphor Laure begins to blossom from the age of 7 to 25 years old. But essentially after the second decade of its life enters the reproductive phase, forming normal fruits.
Fruiting of the tree, outside its natural spreading zone, is sporadic and symptomatic.
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Camphor Tree is a plant that does not tolerand late frosts and very low temperatures. If frost occurs during the period when the new vegetation develops, it burns while the minimum low temperature is -4 °C (24.8 °F), although the well establishment and hardy trees can tolerand temperatures from -5 to -7 °C (23-19.4 °F) without damaging them, and with minimal damage -9 to -12 °C (15.8-10.4 °F).
On the other hand, its resistance to heat and high temperatures is extremely huge since it does not face any problems up to 40-41 °C (104-105.8 °F).
In relation to the soil, Camphor Tree grows in a variety of soil types, while avoiding those who do not have excellent drainage. However, it thrives in moist, fertile and sandy soils which have a slightly acidic to slightly alkaline reaction ranging from 6 to 8 in terms of pH.
Camphor Laure can grow and develope in full sunshine and semi-shady places. But high and good quality essential oil production is only observed when the tree is planted in sunny places.
Even in these, the difference in quality of essential oil and camphor constituents, between full exposure and shadowing parts of the same plant, is remarkably high.
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
During the planting of Camphor Tree plantlets, a phosphorus-potassium fertilizer is added in an amount of 50 to 150 gr per plant.
For established trees, fertilization takes place from the end of the winter to the end of the summer by the use of a complete fertilizer containing the main elements N-P-K in a ratio of 1.5: 1: 1 or 1.5: 1: 1.5. Administration is done either once, as long as it is controlled release, or in 6 doses at a frequency of 1 per month.
The amount of administration is determined by the age of the tree and by the particular soil and climatic conditions. Also, the folliar application in mid-March of trace minerals will be beneficial to the tree.
No other fertilization treatment is made after the end of the summer.
In its natural niches, Camphor Tree grows in environments with an average annual rainfall of between 1000 and 3500 mm. However, it can, if established, cope long drought periods.
Of course, when grown for ornamental purposes, regular watering favors a better growth of the tree and in any case until it is fully established and the development of a strong root system, during the growing period should be taking about 1200 to 1300 mm of water.
In relation to the quality of irrigation water, Camphor Laure can be irrigated even with brackish, glyph water.
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
The Camphor Tree, honoring biodiversity, has both pests and diseases.
As far as for pests are concerned the aphids, the spider mites and the scales, as well as the Lepidoptera Acrocercops ordinatella and Attacus atlas.
By using the appropriate formulations, all these parasites are treated effectively.
Of the diseases are referred the Camphor Tree Anthracnose due to the fungus Glomerella cingulata (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and the mushroom Armillaria tabescens (Clitocybe tabescens).
Sometimes serious problems in the tree are caused by the fungies Verticillium dahliae and Verticillium albo-atrum, whose action has the effect of clogging its vessels, and the Cancer due to the action of the Botryosphaeria dothidea fungus.
Although uncommon, infects from these pathogens are difficult to treat and sometimes can lead to necrosis of parts or even the entire tree.
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
All parts of the Camphor Tree are toxic to humans and pets
Although it is an entomophilous plant, it can cause allergic reactions.
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Cinnamomum camphora is a highly adaptive plant in the tropical and subtropical regions of the planet. It is even so adaptive that in some of them it has evolved into an undesirable weed, competing with native forms of vegetation and displacing native trees.
This event probably involves a strong dose of natural irony, because in its regions of origin, extensive Camphor Tree forests have disappeared forever because of wild overexploitation by humans.
The countries where Camphor Tree is now a less or more problematic tree are Australia, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Polynesia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Nepal, New Caledonia, Puerto Rico, Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean, the United States, Vietnam and the Virgin Islands.
Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Camphor Tree is used in many ways, both as a productive tree and as an ornamental, in private and public gardens, parks and squares.
Its premium quality of wood is used in the furniture industry, while essential oil – in addition to the pharmaceutical industry – is used in cosmetic and lubricant industry and also for the production of soap and detergents.
Since ancient times, Camphor Tree has been used ethnobotanically and has been integrated into various medical systems for therapeutic purposes, such as for the treatment of hysteria.
Also, it was very often used as a disinfectant when burned during epidemics, but also – even if it is a therapeutic use – and for the ritual burning of the dead (India, Nepal).
In modern medically systems, Camphor Tree is exploited in many ways. The produced Camphor essential oil has anthelmintic and antirheumatic properties and is used for curing from the corresponding diseases. It is still used as anticonvulsant, cardiotonic and sedative.
As a key ingredient in ointments, it is given to relieve muscle pains, joint pains and skin diseases while inhalation relieves from bronchial congestion.
Camphor Laure is an excellent shade tree. The natural umbrella that its canopy shaped over time, as well as the density of its foliage, suggests such use. On the other hand, specimen planting or in groups in gardens and/or parks gives a distinct tone, as during the fruiting period attracts birds.
Additionally, its excellent tolerance to strong winds makes it suitable for the creation of high windbreaks, while its moderate tolerance to aerosol salts can be exploited on coastal planting but protected by buildings or higher trees.
In any case, due to its surface and extensive root system, it is recommended to plant at least 10 m of buildings or infrastructure networks.
But this property also makes the tree suitable for slopes or to stabilize soils that are at risk of erosion.
Finally, it may be worth mentioning that in the Far East, apart from ornamental or environmental, it is also planted for religious reasons.
The References of the article with the simple but very comprehensive title Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora), are presented by the huge voice of Eric Burdon, who artistically connecting the country of origin of the tree, ie the Land of the Rising Sun with the House of the Rising Sun, singing the House of the Rising Sun song.
Cinnamomum camphora: Taranaki Educational Resource
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