| Menu list goes here |
Herbal Database Search Results
Back
to: Pathways Main Search
Page For Metaphysical uses
visit The Witchs Haven
Cinnamomum camphora
| Common name: |
Camphor |
Family: |
Lauraceae |
| Author: |
(L.)J.Presl. |
Botanical references: |
11, 200, 266 |
| Synonyms: |
Laurus camphora (L.) |
| Known Hazards: |
The plant is poisonous in large quantities[4]. Large doses can cause respiratory failure in children[268]. See the report below on medicinal uses for more information. |
| Range: |
E. Asia - China, Japan. |
| Habitat: |
Banks of streams in China[109], to elevations of 750 metres[268]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
3 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Camphora camphora[B,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Camphor [H,S], Camphor Tree [H], Camphora [E], Camphortree [P,B], Chang [E], Kafur [E], Kusu-No-Ki [E], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
amomum = a balsam spice plant;
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Laurales. Laurel family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
China; Cuba; Italy; Nepal; Turkey
|
| Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds | From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia
, DEFRA Injurious Weeds | | Listed as noxious/invasive for: New South Wales. |
Physical Characteristics
An evergreen tree growing to 6m by 6m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 9 and is frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from March to June. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Diptera.
We rate it 3/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
It requires moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Woodland, Secondary, Sunny Edge, By Walls, By South Wall, By West Wall.Edible Uses
Condiment; Leaves.
Young shoots and leaves - cooked[105, 177]. Some caution is suggested
because there is a report that the plant is poisonous in large quantities.
The old leaves are dried and used as a spice[105, 177].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Analgesic; Anthelmintic; Antirheumatic; Antispasmodic; Aromatherapy; Cardiotonic; Carminative; Diaphoretic; Odontalgic; Rubefacient; Sedative; Stimulant; Tonic.
Camphor has a long history of herbal use in the Orient with a wide
range of uses. It has occasionally been used internally in the treatment of
hysteria, but in modern day herbalism it is mainly used as the essential oil
and internal use is not advised[254].
The wood and leaves are analgesic, antispasmodic, odontalgic, rubefacient,
stimulant. An infusion is used as an inhalant in the treatment of colds and
diseases of the lungs[46, 57, 176, 178, 238].
The plant is more commonly used in the form of the essential oil which can
be obtained by distillation of the chipped branches, trunk and wood of the
tree, or from the leaves and twigs. Wood 24 - 40 years old is normally
used[268]. The essential oil is anthelmintic, antirheumatic, antispasmodic,
cardiotonic, carminative, diaphoretic, sedative and tonic[4, 218, 238, 240].
It is used externally in liniments for treating joint and muscle pains, balms
for chilblains, chapped lips, cold sores, skin diseases etc and as an
inhalant for bronchial congestion[238]. Some caution is advised, excessive
use causes vomiting, palpitations, convulsions and death[238]. It is possible
that the oil can be absorbed through the skin, causing systemic
poisoning[238].
The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Piercing'[210].
It is used in the treatment of digestive complaints and depression[238]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
Deodorant; Essential; Preservative; Repellent; Wood.
The essential oil 'camphor' is obtained from the leaves and twigs[1, 4,
46, 57, 61]. It is extracted commercially by passing a current of steam
through the wood chips, 30 kilos of wood yielding 1 kilo of camphor[149].
Camphor is used medicinally, in perfumes, as an insecticide and also to make
celluloid and as a wood preservative[171]. It can also be put in shoes to
cure perspiring feet[178] (probably by acting as a deodorant rather than
preventing perspiration[K]).
The wood has been burnt as a fumigant during epidemics[245].
Wood - beautifully grained, light brownish, takes a good polish[266]. It is
used for making furniture, cabinets, the interior finish of buildings etc[4,
46, 266].
Cultivation details
Succeeds in most soils[57] but prefers a fertile sandy
moisture-retentive well-drained soil in full sun or light part-day
shade[200]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 8.
Camphor is grown commercially in China and Japan as a medicinal tree and
also for its essential oil[46]. It is only hardy in the milder areas of
Britain[11, 166], though it can survive occasional lows down to about -10°c
when fully dormant[57]. The young growth in spring, even on mature plants, is
frost-tender and so it is best to grow the plants in a position sheltered
from the early morning sun[K]. There are various large trees that are growing
well in &ndndndnd[59].
A very slow growing tree[4]. The roots are very sensitive to
disturbance[164].
There are some named varieties, selected for their ornamental value[200].
Propagation
Seed - the seed has a short viability and is best sown as soon as it is
ripe in a greenhouse[200]. Remove the fruit pulp since this can inhibit
germination[200]. Germination can take 1 - 6 months at 20°c[164]. Stored seed
should be sown as soon as possible in a warm greenhouse[78]. When they are
large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow
them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into
their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last
expected frosts. Consider giving them some protection from the cold for at
least their first two winters outdoors.
Cuttings of semi-ripe side shoots, 7cm with a heel, June/July in a frame
with bottom heat[78].
Scent
-
Stem: Fresh Crushed Dried
- The sweetly scented wood contains camphor.
Cultivars
- ''
- No entries have been made for this species as yet.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [V] Images
from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A&M Bioinformatics Working Group.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [S] Illustration
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for Laurus camphora (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
References for cinnamomum camphora (a possible synonym).
References for the family Lauraceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.
[59] Thurston. Trees and Shrubs in &ndndndnd.
Trees and shrubs that succeed in &ndndndnd based on the authors own observations. Good but rather dated.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
[105] Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[109] Wilson. E. H. Plantae Wilsonae.
Details of the palnts collected by the plant collector E. H. Wilson on his travels in China. Gives some habitats. Not for the casual reader.
[149] Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987 ISBN 0-292-78958-3
Fairly readable, it gives details of habitats and some of the uses of trees growing in Texas.
[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
[166] Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.
[176] Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985
A very good Chinese herbal.
[177] Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984 ISBN 3874292169
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
[178] Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[210] Westwood. C. Aromatherapy - A guide for home use. Amberwood Publishing Ltd 1993 ISBN 0-9517723-0-9
An excellent little pocket guide. Very concise.
[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.
[268] Stuart. M. (Editor) The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism Orbis Publishing. London. 1979 ISBN 0-85613-067-2
Excellent herbal with good concise information on over 400 herbs.
Readers Comments
Back to: Pathways Home page,
Main Search Page
Help
Bibliography
Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
Species Database.
Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Cinnamomum+camphora
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Cinnamomum+camphora
|
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if
you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.
|
|
