4.9 · 464 Google reviews · Licensed & Insured
Camphor Tree: Fast, Brittle and Everywhere
Camphor trees grow fast, seed aggressively and shed large limbs. Common in older Pinellas neighborhoods and a frequent removal. (727) 365-1803.
“Steven was great, him and his crew got out early and was here all day taking out my four laurel oaks for me. Start to finish it was a pleasure working with happy tree service. The speed and efficiency of the work was fantastic.”
- 464 Google reviews
- Licensed & Insured
- ISA Certified Arborist on staff
- Pinellas since 1989
Most homeowners who call us about a camphor tree don’t know that’s what they’re calling about. It’s one of the most common trees in older Tarpon Springs and Safety Harbor neighborhoods, and it’s also one of the least recognized by name, people describe it as "the big tree with the smelly leaves" more often than they say "camphor."
How to know what you’re looking at
Two things identify it fast: a strong, distinctive scent when a leaf is crushed, the reason it’s called camphor, and a dense, low-branching, broad evergreen form that tends to shade out most of what’s growing under it. If both of those match what’s in your yard, you almost certainly have a camphor tree. Send us a photo when you call if you want a second opinion before we come out.
Fast growth, aggressive seeding
Camphor trees grow quickly and produce seed prolifically, and birds spread that seed well beyond the parent tree’s own canopy. If you’ve got a mature, seed-producing camphor nearby, expect volunteer seedlings to keep showing up in beds, fence lines, and anywhere else a bird happened to land, that’s normal behavior for this species, not a sign anything’s wrong, though it does mean ongoing removal of volunteers is part of maintaining a yard near one.
Because it’s not native to Florida and spreads this readily, camphor shows up on some regional invasive-species watch lists. Exact classifications and regulatory status can shift, and we’d rather tell you the current status directly when you call than publish a number here that might be out of date by the time you read it, ask, and we’ll confirm.
The brittleness is the real removal driver
Aside from the seeding, the trait that most often turns into a service call is wood brittleness. Camphor limbs, even large ones on an otherwise healthy tree, are prone to failure under wind load or heavy rain, more so than a lot of the hardwoods it’s commonly planted next to. Repeated large-limb failure over a driveway, a roofline, or anywhere else that matters is one of the more common reasons a camphor ends up recommended for removal rather than ongoing pruning, especially on an older, larger specimen where the brittle-wood risk is concentrated in bigger, heavier limbs. See our tree risk assessment page for how we evaluate that, and our tree pruning page for when structural pruning can still extend a camphor’s useful life instead.
Start here
Send us a photo of the tree.
You do not have to know whether it needs to come down. That is the part we are for.
- One photo, whole tree in frameTrunk base to top. A close-up of anything that looks wrong helps.
- Text us the photoThe text button below opens the right thread. Add your street and city.
- We come out and lookEvery estimate is in person, free, sometimes the answer is that it needs nothing.
When it comes down
A camphor removal follows the same process as any other structural removal we do, assessment first, then a plan built around what’s actually around the tree. See our hazardous tree removal page for how we handle a removal driven by a real structural concern rather than routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t know what kind of tree this is. How do I tell if it’s a camphor? Crush a leaf and smell it, a strong camphor scent, combined with a dense, low-branching form, is the easiest field identifier. Send us a photo if you’re not sure.
Is camphor tree considered invasive in Florida? It’s not native and spreads readily from seed, which is why it’s flagged on some regional watch lists, ask us for the current status when you call rather than relying on a fixed answer here.
Why does my camphor tree keep dropping large limbs? Camphor wood is genuinely brittle for a tree of its size, large limb failure in wind or heavy rain is a well-known trait of the species.
Volunteer seedlings keep showing up in my yard. What’s going on? Camphor seeds aggressively and birds spread it widely, so a mature, seed-producing camphor nearby will generate volunteers well beyond its own canopy.
Next step
Call (727) 365-1803 or request a free estimate, we’ll tell you honestly whether your camphor needs pruning, removal, or just ongoing seedling control.
Google reviews
Rated 4.9 by 464 of your neighbors.
Reviews · Camphor Tree: Fast, Brittle and Everywhere
4.9
464 reviews on Google, the count on our public Google listing
“Fast quote and when we decided it was time to remove our Oak, they were there on time and ready to get to work. They have all the equipment necessary for this huge job and work very efficiently.”
“Steven was great, him and his crew got out early and was here all day taking out my four laurel oaks for me. Start to finish it was a pleasure working with happy tree service. The speed and efficiency of the work was fantastic.”
Every one of these lives on our public Google listing, where we cannot edit or delete a word. Read them all on Google →
Frequently asked
Questions we get asked on this one.
I don't know what kind of tree this is. How do I tell if it's a camphor?
Crush a leaf and smell it, a strong, distinctive camphor scent is the easiest field identifier there is. Combine that with a dense, low, wide-branching form and you’re very likely looking at a camphor tree. Send us a photo if you’re still not sure.
Is camphor tree considered invasive in Florida?
It’s not native to Florida and it’s known for spreading readily from seed, which is why it’s flagged on some regional watch lists, but exact invasive-status classifications can change, and we’d rather confirm the current listing directly than print a stale one. Ask us for the current status when you call, or use it as one factor among several rather than the deciding one.
Why does my camphor tree keep dropping large limbs?
Camphor wood is genuinely brittle for a tree of its size, and large limb failure in wind or even just storm rain load is a well-known trait of the species. It’s one of the more common reasons this tree gets removed rather than pruned indefinitely.
Volunteer seedlings keep showing up in my yard. What's going on?
Camphor seeds aggressively and birds spread the seed widely, so a mature camphor tree on or near your property can generate seedlings well beyond its own canopy. Ongoing removal of volunteers is normal maintenance if you have a seed-producing camphor nearby.