TreeRM

Camphor laurel

Camphora officinarum 路 Lauraceae 路 also Camphor tree

A massive, dense evergreen shade tree of 15 to 30 m with glossy leaves that smell of camphor when crushed and black berries that birds spread everywhere. Introduced to Australia in the 1820s, it now dominates about 91,000 ha of catchments in northern New South Wales, replacing pasture, blue gums and rainforest regrowth. It is a Category 3 restricted invasive plant in Queensland, a regional priority weed in parts of NSW and a Category I invasive in Florida.

Broadleaf evergreenFast growingSun or part shadeLow water
Camphor laurel
Wikimedia Commons, file Cinnamomum_camphora20050314.jpg (see file page for author and licence)

Where it stands

Native

  • 馃嚚馃嚦 China 路 Southern China per GISD; WCVP treats China as introducedsource
  • 馃嚡馃嚨 Japansource
  • 馃嚢馃嚪 South Koreasource
  • 馃嚬馃嚰 Taiwansource

Adapted

  • 馃嚦馃嚳 New Zealand 路 Introduced and naturalised on the North Island per WCVPsource

Invasive

  • 馃嚘馃嚭 NSW, Australia 路 Regional priority weed (e.g. Hunter, asset protection: should not be bought, sold, moved or released); heavy infestations in Lismore, Tweed, Byron and Ballinasource
  • 馃嚭馃嚫 FL, United States 路 FISC Category I invasive; UF/IFAS Assessment: invasive; not regulatedsource
  • 馃嚳馃嚘 South Africa 路 NEMBA 2020: Category 3 in the Western Cape; heritage trees exempt; not listed elsewheresource

Prohibited

  • 馃嚘馃嚭 QLD, Australia 路 Category 3 restricted invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014: must not be given away, sold or released into the environmentsource

Care

Do not plant it in eastern Australia, Florida or the US Gulf states. Established trees shade out everything; replace gradually with native species because they often serve as wildlife corridors. Control by cut-stump or stem injection; seedlings pull easily. All parts are mildly toxic and can irritate skin. Roots crack concrete and block drains.

Benefits

ShadeBirdsDrought tolerantFast canopy

Good for

parksYard shade

Watch out for

Invasive elsewhereLarge rootsToxic partsMessy fruit