Cinnamomum is a genus of evergreen aromatic trees and shrubs belonging to the laurel family, Lauraceae. The species of Cinnamomum have aromatic oils in their leaves and bark and are best known as the source of the spice cinnamon. The genus contains about 227 species, distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania/Australasia. The genus includes a great number of economically important trees used to produce the spice cinnamon. The oldest fossils are known from the Cretaceous, but the group reached a peak of diversity during the Eocene.
A research-grade observation of Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora) has been recorded in Central, Louisiana, USA via iNaturalist, adding a verified data point to the documented presence of this aromatic, non-native tree in the Gulf South region.
