Borneo Camphor, sometimes called Borneol Camphor is a pale, straw colored resin from the Dryobalanops aromatica tree.  It is an evergreen that can reach heights of more than 120 feet.  The Japanese refer to this tree as the hon-sho and the sacred camphor tree at the Hachiman shrine in the Kagoshima district of Japan is more than 1,200 years old.

This species was one of the main sources of camphor and attracted early Arab traders to Borneo.  Camphor at that time was valued more highly than gold and was used extensively in incense and perfumes of the period.  This was during the time of Marco Polo, around 1269 or so, and he remarks on the trade of camphor for gold.

Camphor has a clean, clear scent and mixes will with aloeswood, clove, cinnamon and frankincense.  There is however a synthetic camphor called Borneolum syntheticum that should never be used for incense making as it has a pronounced turpentine-like scent.  So beware and purchase only natural ingredients for your incense creations.

A very pleasant recipe you can try that features camphor is:

2 parts Frankincense

1 part Camphor

1 part Cloves

1/2 part White Pine needles

1/2 part Juniper Tips

When burned, it produces a fresh, woody fragrance with a high clear note.  Personally, it reminds me of the smell of evergreen trees in the snow.