Camphora officinarum
The camphor tree is native in Taiwan and was once widely distributed across the island from lowland areas to mountainous regions below 1,500 meters in elevation. It is most abundant in central and northern Taiwan. Wild populations have decreased due to extensive logging, and nowadays the camphor tree is cultivated as street trees or for garden landscaping.
The leaves and wood of the camphor tree have a distinctive aroma and can be refined into camphor, which is commonly made into camphor balls used for pest control and deodorization. In addition, camphor can be applied in pharmaceuticals, munitions, and industrial application. In 1887, Alfred Nobel developed a powerful smokeless powder using camphor as a raw material. Before the petrochemical industry became widespread, camphor was an important raw material for producing celluloid film and other plastic products.
Taiwan was once known as the Camphor Kingdom, with production ranking first in the world. It was referred to as one of the “Three Treasures of Taiwan,” along with tea and sugar, holding a very important position in Taiwan's development history. During the Qing Dynasty, only the government was allowed to cut down camphor trees for camphor production, and private individuals were prohibited from doing so. The enormous profits have made the world pay attention to Taiwan's existence, leading to the “Camphor War” in 1868, when Britain sent troops to capture Anping and signed the Camphor Treaty with the Qing Dynasty. In addition to paying reparations, the Qing Dynasty was also required to give up its monopoly on camphor.
Nowadays there is no large-scale logging of camphor trees for camphor extraction. Instead, camphor trees are widely planted for their majestic and upright form and the shade provided by their dense foliage. The leaves turn into beautiful red before they fall, enhancing the ornamental value. In addition, the wood of the camphor tree is hard and can be used as material for construction, carving, cabinets, ships, waterwheels, agricultural tools, etc.