Economic Importance of Cinnamomum camphora

Family:  Lauraceae
Genus: Cinnamomum
Species: Cinnamomum camphora
Common name: Camphor tree, Kapur, Karpura
Origin:  China

Description: Middle sized evergreen tree with yellow brown branches. Leaves sub-coriaceous , ovate   or broadly so or elliptic, abruptly  acuminate, lustrous above. Flowers   bisexual, membranous, linear,   soft- pubescent.

Economic Importance:

• The wood has a strong scent of camphor. It seasons without difficulty and is workable well under tools. The wood is moderately hard and moderately hard. Used for cheaper grade of furniture, chests, tea-boxes and rafters, scantlings and planking for lighter forms of construction.
• The tree yields camphor which is distilled from leaves and wood and finds uses in pharmaceutical and perfumery industry. The yield of camphor from leaves in India ranges below 2% making it uneconomical for cultivation. Camphor oil of commerce is the oil of C. camphora from which the camphor is removed. Camphor is extensively applied in external applications as a counter irritant in muscular strains, inflammations and rheumatic conditions.

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