Common Name:

General Information

Cinnamomum oliveri is a strongly aromatic, medium to large sized evergreen tree growing up to 30 metres tall. The stems are usually buttressed[, ].
The plant is a source of essential oils which are sometimes gathered from the wild and used medicinally, as a food flavouring etc. The wood is harvested from the wild and traded as 'camphorwood', a useful general purpose timber.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Australia - New South Wales, Queensland.

Habitat

Found in both low and higher altitude subtropical and warm-temperate rainforest in New South Wales. Moist rainforests, often in poorer soils and usually close to streams in drier areas, at elevations from sea level to 1,100 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Cinnamomum oliveri grows along the coast of eastern Australia from the fully tropical regions of northern Queensland to the sub-tropical or warm temperate areas of central New South Wales. Older plants can tolerate at least some frost[].
Succeeds in a range of soils so long as they do not dry out[]. Tolerant of poor soils[].
A source of essential oils, but the percentage yield is too low for commercial exploitation[].
The leaves have the aroma of sassafras[].
The plant is slow growing; slender and spindly when young, it eventually thickens and becomes a handsome tree or a dense bush if pruned occasionally[].

Edible Uses

The bark is used locally as a substitute for cinnamon[].

Medicinal

The bark has a strong aromatic perfume and a 9% tannin content which makes it astringent. For these two reasons it can be used as a relatively pleasant diarrhoea treatment[, ].

Other Uses

The leaves contain the essential oil camphor[].
The bark contains an essential oil comprising camphor, safrol and other substances that combine to give a pleasant, long-lasting sarsaparilla-like aroma[].

The aromatic timber is used for general indoor work[]. It could be suitable for making insect-repellent boxes[]. It is a useful, general purpose timber[, ].

Propagation

Seed - the seed has a short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[]. Remove the fruit pulp since this can inhibit germination[]. Germination can take 1 - 6 months at 20°c[]. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible in a warm greenhouse[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Consider giving them some protection from the cold for at least their first two winters outdoors.
Cuttings of semi-ripe side shoots, 7cm with a heel, early summer/July in a frame with bottom heat[].