Botanical Name: Cinnamomum zeylanicum

Common Name:

English: True Cinnamon
Ayurveda: Darusita, Tvak, Daaruchini, Chochaa, Choncha, Varaanga, Utkata, Daarusitaa
Also, known as: Lavangappattai, kaneel, Dar cini , Xi lan rou gui , Tvak, Kanéla, Darchini , Echter Zimt , Canella, Seiron nikkei , Kayu manis , Canela , Canelo de Ceilán, Zimtbaum, Cannelle, Canela, Cannella, Kayu manis, Elavangappattai, Daalchini, Daarchini, Darchini, Dalcheni, Daruchini, Karuvapatta, Ilavarngathely, Dalechini, Guda twak, Lavangapattai, Karuvapattai

Origin: Sri Lanka

Harvested: Cultivated

Parts Used: Bark

General Information:

There are more than 100 varieties of cinnamon trees, but there are two main species that are commercially available. Cinnamomum cassia (cassia cinnamon) is the one you are most likely to encounter on spice shelves in stores across the world. This cinnamon is native to Indonesia and now grows in tropical climates around the world. Cinnamomum zeylanicum is commonly called Ceylon cinnamon. Grown in Sri Lanka, and consider it “true” cinnamon.

Ceylon Cinnamon is a very well-known and one of the oldest of all spice around the world, adding fragrance and warmth to everything from breakfast, cereals, and cookies to curries and roasts. The rich history of this aromatic spice found in the Bible and in Sanskrit texts. Roughly 2,000 years ago, cinnamon was having 15 times more value than the silver of the same weight.

The tree grows from 20 to 30 feet high, has thick scabrous bark, strong branches, young shoots speckled green orange, the leaves petiolate, entire, leathery when mature, upper side shiny green, underside lighter; flowers, small white in panicles; fruit, an oval berry like an acorn in its receptacle, bluish when ripe with white spots on it. Trees are propagated from seeds or cuttings and are grown in humid tropical regions. Cultivation methods for cinnamon trees have been passed down for centuries and remain mostly unchanged to this day. Plantation trees are heavily pruned when they are two years old. This pruning creates a lot of bushy shoots at the base of the tree. These shoots are harvested about twice a year, after heavy monsoon rains make them easier to process. Then the hard work begins by separating the inner bark of each shoot from the rest of the stalk. Layers of this inner bark are pressed together and then laid out to dry, and during this time the bark curls to form cinnamon “sticks,” also called cinnamon quills. After they are properly dried, they are cut to size and shipped around the world.

How to use:

As a spice.

Precautions:

You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.

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This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.

This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Cinnamon Ground Ceylon