Machilus thunbergii

Machilus thunbergii is in the laurel or Lauraceae family and is found in Japan, Korea and China. It is one of the world’s largest bay trees and is often found at temples, shrines and public parks. It grows to approximately 20 m tall.

In Japan, the bark of this tree has been used for centuries as a dye in making a hand woven silk fabric called tobi hachijo. The bark is also mixed with various other plants to make an aromatic incense used in Buddhist temples and at Buddhist alters in private homes. Trees also contain a distinct mucus-like sap.

• Leaves are evergreen, obovate to obovate-lanceolate, dark green and shiny on both sides, alternate, 4.5-9 cm long and 3-6 cm wide.
• Flowers arise from the base of young shoots; they are star-shaped, born in round clusters in mid spring, and are bright green.
• Fruit is globose, about 1 cm in diameter, green and ripening to dark purple by early summer.
• Bark is yellowish brown, becoming rough with age; young branchlets are purple-brown, older branchlets rough; buds are ovoid or oblong-ovoid; bud scales are golden brown or reddish brown.