Common Name : Camphor Tree, Camphorwood

It is a large evergreen tree that grows up to 20-30m tall. The leaves have a glossy, waxy appearance and smell of camphor when crushed. Alternately arranged 1-4in long oval leaves dangle from long stalks. Each leaf has three distinct yellowish veins. The outer margins of the leaves tend to be somewhat wavy and turn upward. The new foliage starts out a rusty burgundy colour, but the leaves soon turn dark green on the upper sides and paler green underneath. New branches emerging from the shallowly fissured greyish brown trunk are smooth and green. Twigs are usually green, but may be tinged with red when young. The inconspicuous tiny cream-colored flowers are borne in the spring on branching 3in flower stalks. They are followed by large crops of fruit, comprised of round pea sized berries attached to the branchlets by cuplike little green cones. The berries first turn reddish, then ripen to black.