Forest & Kim Starr
Family
Lauraceae
Botanical Name
Cinnamomum camphora
Plant Common Name
Camphortree
General Description
Superior beauty and a spreading evergreen canopy give this shade or street tree good looks in every season. It is a warm climate species native to eastern Asia, Japan and Malaysia. The trees are intensely aromatic, containing oil of camphor, which is highly potent and used primarily in manufacturing. Both the wood, which is very hard, and the leaves bear a strong scent of camphor. This tree produces a strong, dark upright trunk topped by a canopy of medium-sized glossy leaves. This tree sheds some leaves each year in early spring. New leaves bears bronze and lime green tones, offering a variation of hues in the canopy.
In spring and summer clusters of small, fragrant, bowl shaped, yellowish green flowers bloom. They are not particularly showy. These are followed by small black fruits that can cause litter and stain pavement. For this reason it makes a better park than street tree, but does quite well in both urban and suburban conditions. Do not underestimate its overall mature size which can easily extend beyond an average lot to crowd neighbors. Accumulation of camphor oil in the soil beneath the canopy can result in limited success growing other plants. Its seeds readily germinate and they can make an invasive plant in some subtropical regions.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
10 - 8
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USDA Hardiness Zone
8 - 10
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Sunset Zone
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Tree
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun
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Height
60'-70' / 18.3m - 21.3m
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Width
30'-50' / 9.1m - 15.2m
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Bloom Time
Spring
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Native To
Eastern Asia, Japan
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Clay, Loam, Sand
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Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Soil Compaction
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Growth Rate
Medium
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Water Requirements
Xeric/Desert, Drought Tolerant, Average Water
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Habit
Oval/Rounded
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Insignificant
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Flower Color
Yellow
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Fruit Color
Black
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Light Green, Dark Green, Bronze
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Dark Green, Yellow Green, Bronze
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Dark Green, Yellow Green, Bronze
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Dark Green, Yellow Green, Bronze
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Bark Color
Brown
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
Yes
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
Yes
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
