Litsea cubeba is also known as mountain pepper. It flourishes in tropical and subtropical areas of southeast Asia, southern China, Taiwan, and Japan. The primary oil producing areas in China are Yunnan, hunan, Guangxi, and Jiangxi. It is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to seven meters in height. It flowers between March and April and its seeds ripen from August to September. The plant prefers moist and mildly acidic or neutral soil for growth. Litsea cubeba can grow at heights from 300 to 3200 meters. The oil extracted from the plant is known for its antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiparasitic properties. A farmer on an average distils one ton of oil every three days. According to industry estimates, the annual production in China does not exceed 300 tons. Most of the stock has already been sold in the market. A few farmers are holding on to limited volumes with an expectation of increase in prices. Limited stocks have resulted in higher price.