Common Name:

General Information

Blumea balsamifera is an erect, evergreen undershrub or shrub, rarely a herb or small tree, that smells strongly of camphor[]. It can grow up to 4 metres tall with branching stems 2 - 8cm in diameter that become woody, at least at the base[, ].
The plant has a long history of medicinal use and is also the source of an essential oil. It is often harvested from the wild, whilst it is also grown in gardens and commercially[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

E. Asia - southern China, Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines.

Habitat

Dry fields, thickets, grasslands, mountain slopes, river banks at elevations up to 1,200 metres[]. Roadsides, upland fields, fields infested with Imperata, grazing land, brushwood and forest, and sometimes in wet places on river banks[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the tropics and subtropics, it can be found at elevations from sea level to 2,200 metres[].
Plants are intolerant of shade[]. Essential oil production is greatly decreased when plants grow in the shade[].
Blumea balsamifera flowers throughout the year[]. It produces seed abundantly and easily propagates spontaneously[]. It is often considered a weed, though it is easily eradicated[].
The plant is very tolerant of fire and is frequently found in regularly burned grassland since it readily sprouts from underground parts after the leaves and branches have been killed[].
In gardens, leaves are picked when required. On a larger scale, leaves are cut up to four times a year or whole plants are harvested[]..
A widely distributed and very variable plant in its foliage and degree of pubescence; the flower heads and florets, however, are remarkably uniform throughout its range. Plants growing in a montane habitat appear more woolly than those from the lowland[].
The plant can flower all year round[].
This species is the most woody and fragrant member of the genus[].

Edible Uses

The camphor-scented leaves are sometimes used as an aromatic condiment with various foods[].

Medicinal

Blumea balsamifera has a very long history of herbal use. It is one of the most common and widely used medicinal plants for a number of ailments in southeast Asia and has been used in Chinese medicine since ancient times[]. A diuretic and kidney-stone medicine is prepared commercially from the plant in the Philippines[].

The plant is carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, mild stimulant, stomachic, sudorific and vermifuge[]. It is used to treat influenza, bronchitis, cough, arthritis, insomnia, dyspepsia and dysmenorrhoea, either in infusion or as an inhalation over a steam bath[].
A decoction of the fresh leaves, alone or in combination with other plant preparations, is used as a bath for women after childbirth and also for young children[].
The plant is used as a topical application for septic ulcers[]. Poultices of the pounded leaves are applied to treat haemorrhoids, and an alcoholic maceration serves as a liniment for rheumatism[].
The leaves, collected in summer, are air-dried and then stored for later use. The fresh leaves are also occasionally used[].

An essential oil is obtained from the plant, the main constituents being camphor, borneol and cineol. The oil is used internally to treat colic. chest pains. cough. sore tIiroat, and toothache, whilst it is applied topically to treat impetigo[].

The essential oil is obtained from the leaves by steam distillation[].

Other Uses

In China ngai camphor oil, an essential oil obtained by steam distillation of the young leaves, is widely used in medicine and in rituals. The refined camphor 'ngai p'ien' is considered of higher quality than camphor from Cinnamomum camphora, but is not rated as highly as that from Dryobalanops spp[].
The leaves contain about 0.5% of an essential oil whose main component is borneol (about 25%), a compound closely related to camphor and easily converted into it by oxidation[]. Other components are 1,8-cineole, limonene, and camphor; other sources also mention 'BETA'-eudesmol, 'BETA'-camphene and myrcene[]. Camphor is an important component of the oil, but its content may vary strongly. This variation may be due to environmental conditions, with some samples from China being free of it, while other samples may contain as much as 75%[].

The roots and leaves are used as natural pesticides e.g. Against storage pests and leaf hoppers in rice[].

The white wood is soft[].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow and do not allow the compost to become dry. Germination is usually good.
Root cuttings.
Stem cuttings. Cuttings are placed in containers under shade. Watering should be carried out with care, as too much water is harmful.
Seedlings and rooted cuttings can be transplanted after about 2 weeks to a place receiving full sunlight.

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