Cinnamomum camphora

An ancient camphor tree (estimated to be over 1,000 years old) in Japan
 

Cinnamomum camphora (commonly known as camphor tree, camphorwood or camphor laurel) is a large evergreen tree that grows up to 20–30 m (66–98 ft) tall.[1] The leaves have a glossy, waxy appearance and smell of camphor when crushed. In spring, it produces bright green foliage with masses of small white flowers.

 

It produces clusters of black, berry-like fruit around 1 cm (0.39 in) in diameter. Its pale bark is very rough and fissured vertically.

 

Cinnamomum camphora is native to China south of the Yangtze River, Taiwan, southern Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, and has been introduced to many other countries.

In Japan, where the tree is called kusunoki, five camphor trees are known with a trunk circumference above 20 m, with the largest tree (Kamou no Ohkusu) reaching the circumference of 24.22 m.