Xiangzhang - Camphor Because of its resistance to insects as well as its attractive grain patterns, camphor wood has long been used for making wardrobes and storage chests. Camphor is a large evergreen tree of the laurel family. The pale sapwood of camphor is clearly distinguished from the heartwood, whose reddish-brown color is typically figured with darker reddish striations. The fragrance of camphor is intense after freshly cut, and its strong scent does not diminish with time. The interlocked grain pattern of camphor imparts a light and dark striped figure patterned with its open pores appearing as slanted parallel lines in the radial surface.