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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Cinnamomum camphora - Camphor Tree

The camphor tree is a large evergreen tree, slowly growing to over 40' tall and possibily 50+ feet wide, forming a broad rounded canopy. Large upright spreading primary scaffold branches often arc down with age. Can be nice green but can also be almost yellow in color.



Leaves evergreen simple, alternate, 2-3" long ovate to elliptical shaped, long pointed tip, margins entire, waxy texture, shiny, light green almost yellowish in color. Camphor smell with crushed. They have 2 glands on the leaf at the intersection of the main vein and the 2 distinct laterals.



Cant say its know for fall color but the evergreen leaves do fall off eventually and turn red before doing so, they just dont all turn at once, too bad, its a nice red.



Fairly distinct terminal buds, 1/2 inch long, imbricate, and sharp-pointed. Stems smooth, glabrous, yellow green.



Small white to yellow flowers, lightly fragrant in 2-3" panicles.

Small black drupe, less than 1/2" diameter, on long pedicuncles hanging in winter.



 Bark develops grayish brown with small square plates. Primary lateral branches are large with age.


Misidentification: Not really sure, its just a common plain looking tree. Look for the small glands on the leaves.

Location:
Santa Cruz:
217 Pacheco Ave - the best so far … Heritage Tree of Santa Cruz
Downtown on Cedar St in the parking lots. 

Capitola:
The one at the top is at the Beverly's on Soquel and 41st.
4610 Emerald - 2 large specimens in the front yard