Camphor Laurel
An ancient camphor tree, estimated to be over 1000 years old, in Japan
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Laurales Family: Lauraceae Genus: Cinnamomum Species: C. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Magnoliopsida is the Botanical name for a class of Flowering plants By definition the class will include the family Magnoliaceae, but its The Laurales are an order of Flowering plants They are a basal group of Dicots related to and formerly sometimes included in the Magnoliales. The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of Flowering plants included in the order Laurales. Cinnamomum is a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs belonging to the Laurel family Lauraceae. camphora
Binomial name
Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Sieb.

Cinnamomum camphora (commonly known as Camphor tree, Camphorwood or camphor laurel) is a large evergreen tree that grows up to 20-30 metres tall. Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold ( February 17, 1796 in Würzburg - October 18, 1866 in Munich) was a German physician In Botany, an Evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International The leaves have a glossy, waxy appearance and smell of camphor when crushed. } Camphor is a waxy white or transparent solid with a strong aromatic odor In spring it produces bright green foliage with masses of small white flowers. Spring is one of the four Temperate Seasons Spring marks the transition from Winter into Summer. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also It produces clusters of black berry-like fruit around one centimetre in diameter. The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. A centimetre ( American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one hundredth It has a pale bark that is very rough and fissured vertically. Bark, also known as periderm is the outermost layer of stems and Roots of Woody plants such as Trees It overlays the Wood and consists

Camphor is a white crystalline substance, obtained from the tree Cinnamonum camphora. Camphor has been used for many centuries as a culinary spice, a component of incense and as a medicine. Camphor is also a bug-repellant and a flea-killing substance.

Cinnamomum camphora is native to Taiwan, southern Japan, southeast China and Indochina, where it is also cultivated for camphor and timber production. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. The production and shipment of camphor, in a solid, waxy form, was a major industry in Taiwan prior to and during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945). It was used medicinally and was also an important ingredient in the production of smokeless gunpowder and celluloid. Primitive stills were set up in the mountainous areas in which the tree is usually found. The wood was chipped; these chips were steamed in a retort, allowing the camphor to crystallize on the inside of a crystallization box, after the vapour had passed through a cooling chamber. It was then scraped off and packed out to government-run factories for processing and sale. Camphor was one of the most lucrative of several important government monopolies under the Japanese.

Name in other languages

• Pachai Karpooram (பச்சை கற்பூரம்) in Tamil

Name in telugu karpuram,harathi karpuram

樟樹 in Chinese

Culinary uses of camphor

illustration

In ancient and medieval Europe, Camphor was widely used as ingredient for sweets but it is now mainly used for medicinal purposes. Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. For example, Camphor was used as a flavoring in confections resembling ice cream in China during the Tang dynasty (A. Ice cream or ice-cream (originally iced cream) is a frozen dessert made from Dairy products such as Milk and Cream, combined China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Tang Dynasty ( Middle Chinese: dhɑng (June 18 618&ndashJune 4 907 was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by D. 618-907). An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the 13th century contains a recipe for Meat with Apples which is flavored with Camphor and Musk. ^[1] A 13th century recipe for "Honeyed Dates" is also flavored with Camphor. ^[2] By the time of the Renaissance, Camphor as a culinary ingredient had fallen into disuse in Europe.

Today, Camphor is widely used in cooking (mainly for dessert dishes) in India where it is known as Pachha Karpooram (literally meaning "green camphor" though "Pachha" in Tamil can also be translated to mean "raw" which is "Pachha Karpooram's" intended meaning). It is widely available at Indian grocery stores and is labeled as "Edible Camphor. " In Hindu poojas and ceremonies, camphor is burned in a ceremonial spoon for performing aarti. This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see For the similarly spelled Christian movement see Arathi. Aarti, ãrti, arathi, Aarthi, or ãrati This type of camphor is also sold at Indian grocery stores but it is not suitable for cooking. The only type that should be used for food are those which are labeled as "Edible Camphor. "

The twigs and leaves of the camphor plant are used in the smoking and preparation of Zhangcha duck, a typical banquet and celebratory dish in Szechuan cuisine. Zhangcha duck is a quintessential dish of Szechuan cuisine. It is prepared by hot smoking a marinated duck over Tea leaves and twigs of the camphor plant Szechuan cuisine, Szechwan cuisine, or Sichuan cuisine ( is a style of Chinese cuisine originating in Sichuan Province of southwestern

Camphor laurel in Australia

C camphora in the public Botanic Gardens in Adelaide, South Australia

Cinnamomum camphora was introduced to Australia in 1822 as an ornamental tree for use in gardens and public parks, and is commonly called Camphor laurel there. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Year 1822 (MDCCCXXII was a Common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Sunday of the Ornamental plants are typically grown in the flower Garden or as House plants Most commonly they are grown for the display of their Flowers Other common It has become a weed throughout Queensland and northern New South Wales where it is suited to the wet, subtropical climate. Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent

It has been declared a noxious weed in many parts of Queensland and New South Wales^[3]. Noxious weeds are Plant species that have been designated by state or national agricultural authorities as plants that are injurious to agricultural and/or horticultural crops Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent Its massive and spreading root systems disrupt urban drainage and sewerage systems and degrade river banks. Its leaves have a very high carbon content, which damages water quality and freshwater fish habitats when they fall into streams and rivers. Carbon (kɑɹbən is a Chemical element with the symbol C and its Atomic number is 6 The camphor content of the leaf litter helps prevent other plants from germinating successfully, helping to ensure the camphor's success against any potentially competing vegetation, and the seeds are attractive to birds and pass intact through the digestive system, ensuring rapid distribution. Camphor laurel invades pastures, and also competes against eucalyptus trees which are the sole food source of koalas, which are endangered in many parts of eastern Australia. Eucalyptus (From Greek ευκάλυπτος meaning "well covered" is a diverse Genus of Trees (and a few shrubs the members of which The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus is a thickset Arboreal Marsupial herbivore native to Australia, and the only extant

References

External links

• Camphor laurel fact sheet - Produced by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries
• Campaign to stop the spread of camphor laurels in Australia

References