PlantPeers
Back to Catalog
Cinnamomum oliveri
Lauraceae FAMILY

Cinnamomum oliveri

Cinnamomum oliveri

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
GrowthSlow

Cinnamomum oliveri grows along the coast of eastern Australia from the fully tropical regions of northern Queensland to the sub-tropical or warm temperate areas of central New South Wales. Older plants can tolerate at least some frost[1]. Succeeds in a range of soils so long as they do not dry out[2]. Tolerant of poor soils[1]. A source of essential oils, but the percentage yield is too low for commercial exploitation[3]. The leaves have the aroma of sassafras[2]. The plant is slow growing; slender and spindly when young, it eventually thickens and becomes a handsome tree or a dense bush if pruned occasionally[2].

Propagation

Seed - the seed has a short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[4]. Remove the fruit pulp since this can inhibit germination[4]. Germination can take 1 - 6 months at 20°c[5]. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible in a warm greenhouse[6]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Consider giving them some protection from the cold for at least their first two winters outdoors. Cuttings of semi-ripe side shoots, 7cm with a heel, early summer/July in a frame with bottom heat[6]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Cinnamomum+oliveri>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]Brisbane Rainforest Action and Information Network, — http://www.brisrain.webcentral.com.au ↩︎Information on plants in the Queensland Rainforests.
  2. [2]Australian Rainforest Plants Volumes 1 - 6 — Nicholson N. & H. · Terania Rainforest Publishing; New South Wales. · 2007 · ISBN 9-78095894-3628 ↩︎Beautiful set of booklets with a terse description of over 600 species and their habitat, often including some of their uses and notes on their cultivation, plus at least one, excellent photograph.
  3. [3]Useful Wild Plants in Australia. — Cribb. A. B. and J. W. · William Collins Pty Ltd. Sidney · 1981 · ISBN 0-00-216441-8 ↩︎A very readable book.
  4. [4]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  5. [5]Growing from Seed. Volume 4. — Bird. R. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1990 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
  6. [6]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  7. [7]Flora of Australia — http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/abif/flora/ ↩︎The full information from the Flora of Australia - on-line. An excellent resource.
  8. [8]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
  9. [9]Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants — http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/cd-keys/rfk/index.html ↩︎An online resource giving botanical information, and a little bit about plant usage, for over 2,700 species of plants found in the Australian rainforest.