Camphor Tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Key Facts
Scientific Name: Cinnamomum camphora, commonly called the Camphor tree.
Native Home: East Asia, particularly China, Japan, Taiwan, and parts of Southeast Asia.
Height: Can grow up to 100 feet (30 meters) tall.
Lifespan: Can live for several hundred years.
Uses and Harvesting
Camphor: Produces aromatic compounds used in traditional medicine, cosmetics, and household products.
Harvesting: Camphor is mainly obtained from the wood and leaves through extraction and distillation.
Age to Harvest: Trees are generally harvested for commercial camphor production after 20–30 years.
Products: Used in balms, oils, medicines, cosmetics, perfumes, and insect repellents.
History and Global Production
Traditional Use: Camphor has been used for centuries in traditional Asian medicine and religious practices.
Global Spread: The tree has been introduced to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide and is commercially cultivated for timber and camphor products.
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