Wild Camphor bush: Tarchonanthus camphoratus
The camphor bush can reach up to 6 meters in height. The twigs and younger stems are white-felted, as are the undersides of the leaves. The upper leaf surface is dark olive-green. Bruised leaves smell strongly of camphor. Male and female flowers are seperate. Flowers are usually present from December to May (in South Africa), and are cream coloured. Male flowering heads have several flowers whilst the female has only a few. The fruit is dense and woolly.
The wood is fragrant, close-grained, attractive, durable and rich in aromatic oils. Its use as wood fuel and a source of charcoal, is an abuse of a valuable resource. It is also used as a traditional building material, in horticulture, and in tribal papermaking. Wild leleshwa is also a source of essential oils used as fragrances. Its leaves are used by the Maasai to scent their homes and persons.
Wild camphor is used as a traditional remedy for respiratory illnesses.[6] The species has wide range of local uses, including dental hygiene.
This tree can be used in the garden for areas with severe frost and drought. It is also an excellent tree for creating tall hedges or windbreaks in coastal gardens and for binding sand dunes. It provides a good shape and it can be also used as a bonsai specimen.
Propagate this tree from seed, which may take 8 weeks to germinate. It may also be propagated by softwood cuttings. Young plants transplant fairly easily. The tree requires no special nurturing.