Common name: camphor laurel
Cinnamomum camphora (L.) T.Nees & C.H.Eberm. APNI* 
Description: Large trees, bark greyish brown, rough.
Leaves alternate or pseudowhorled, ovate to elliptic, 5–10 cm long, 2.5–5 cm wide, apex abruptly acuminate, upper surface glossy green, lower surface glaucous; smelling of camphor when crushed; 3-veined from base with domatia in axils, reticulum areolate; petiole 2–4 cm long.
Panicles usually slightly shorter than leaves. Flowers c. 3 mm long.
Fruit globose, 10 mm diam., black, seated on shallow cupular receptacle; ripe Apr.-June.
Distribution and occurrence: Widely planted as an ornamental or shade tree. It is extensively naturalized in coastal areas where it often hinders the regeneration of native rainforest species; especially common in the Richmond-Tweed and Bellinger areas. Native of China and Japan. Camphor is obtained by distillation; timber used for clothes storage boxes, turnery etc.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld
See also NSW WeedWise profile. Yang et al. (2022) Phylogeny and taxonomy of Cinnamomum (Lauraceae). Ecology & Evolution. 12: e9378. Based on their analyses they decided that Cinnamomum camphora should be moved and renamed Camphora officinarium Nees. This name has been adopted by iNaturalist. NSW Herbarium have reservations regarding the sample size and some of the techniques employed in the analyses. We feel that it is premature to do the name change on such an important invasive species, and its ramifications for conservation and weed management. Further study is required to better understand the outcomes. Peter Jobson March 2026.
Text by G. J. Harden; edited by P. Lu-Irving (May 2025)
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 1 (1990)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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