Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), or true cinnamon, is an attractive evergreen tree prized for its fragrant inner bark, which is dried and rolled into the familiar cinnamon quills. New leaves emerge a striking red before maturing to glossy green, making it ornamental as well as useful. Warm and sweetly aromatic, cinnamon flavours desserts, masalas, chai and curries and is valued in Ayurveda for digestion and blood-sugar support. Native to humid tropical Asia and grown in South India and the islands, it thrives in warm, moist conditions and can be kept as a bush by regular coppicing for easy home bark harvests.
Specifications
| Family |
Lauraceae |
| Native region |
Sri Lanka and South India |
| Mature height |
6-12 m; coppiced lower |
| Mature spread |
3-5 m |
| Growth rate |
Moderate |
| Foliage |
Glossy green; red new growth |
| Flower colour |
Pale greenish-yellow |
| Flower season |
Spring to summer |
| Climate zone |
Humid tropical |
Care guide
| Sunlight |
Full sun to partial shade |
| Watering |
Regular; keep soil moist, well-drained |
| Soil / mix |
Sandy loam rich in organic matter |
| Temperature |
20-35 C; frost-sensitive |
| Humidity |
High |
| Fertilizer |
Organic manure 2-3 times a year |
| Pruning |
Coppice to harvest bark and keep bushy |
| Repotting |
Every 2-3 years while young if potted |
| Propagation |
Seeds or cuttings |
| Pests & problems |
Watch for leaf miners, scale |
| Toxicity / safety |
Edible spice; non-toxic |
| Difficulty |
Moderate |
Uses
Its aromatic bark is a sweet spice for desserts, masalas, chai and curries, and is used in Ayurveda for digestion and blood-sugar balance. Grown as a spice tree and ornamental evergreen.
Growing tips
Plant in warm, humid, frost-free areas in well-drained, fertile soil. Coppice the tree every couple of years to encourage tender shoots whose smooth inner bark gives the best-quality cinnamon.