Cinnamomum cassia

Cinnamomum cassia, called Chinese cassia, cassia cinnamon, or Chinese cinnamon, is an evergreen tree originating in southern China and widely cultivated there and elsewhere in South and Southeast Asia. It is one of several species of Cinnamomum used primarily for its aromatic bark, which is used as a spice. The buds are also used as a spice, especially in India, and were used by the ancient Romans.

Description

A shrub or tree 5-15 m tall. The bark is thicker and darker in colour than cinnamon as the corky outer bark is still attached. The bark is 13 mm thick. The small branches are angular. They have lines along them. The leaves are alternate or almost opposite. They are narrowly oval and 8-16 cm long by 4-5.5 cm wide. They can be larger. The fruit is oval and 10 mm long by 7-8 mm wide. The bark is more coarse than Cinnamomum verum. It has larger leaves than camphor laurel.

Edible Uses

The bark is used as a spice in drinks, sweets, curries, confectionery, baked goods, chewing gum, and condiments, often as a cinnamon substitute. The cassia buds (dried unripe fruit) are used to flavor breads, cakes, chocolate, and pickles. The plant also yields an essential oil for flavoring.

Traditional Uses

The bark is used as a spice. It is used in drinks and sweets. It is used as a substitute for cinnamon. It also yields an essential oil. These are used to flavour curries, confectionary, drinks, baked goods, chewing gum, and condiments. The cassia buds of the unripe fruit are dried and used as a flavouring. The immature fruit or cassia buds are used to flavour breads, cakes, chocolate and pickles.

Medicinal Uses

The part of the bark that is used to make spices is called the Cinnamomi cortex. Chinese cassia (called ròuguì; 肉桂 in Chinese) is produced primarily in the southern provinces of Guangxi, Guangdong, and Yunnan. It is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. More than 160 phytochemicals have been isolated from Cinnamomum cassia. The blood-thinning component called coumarin found in C. cassia could damage the liver if consumed in larger amounts, therefore European health agencies have warned against consuming high amounts of cassia. Other bioactive compounds found in the bark, powder and essential oils of C. cassia are cinnamaldehyde and styrene. In high doses, these substances can also be toxic to humans.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows close to the coast. It grows in tropical regions in southern China. It is best in rich moist soils. It is cultivated in borders areas between China and Vietnam. Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Cuba, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, SE Asia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, West Indies,

Cultivation

Plants are grown by seeds.

Propagation

Seed - the seed has a short viability and is best sown as soon in containers as it is ripe. Remove the fruit pulp since this can inhibit germination. Soaking the seeds for 24 hours in lukewarm water hastens germination. Germination can take 1 - 6 months at 20°c. The germination rate of fresh seed is about 50%, falling to 25% for seed 6 months old, and zero for those 1 year old. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible in containers. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions when 10cm or more tall. Cuttings of semi-ripe side shoots, 7cm with a heel, in a frame with bottom heat.

Other Uses

The essential oil obtained from the bark is used as a flavouring in toothpastes, and as a scent in incense. Extracts of the leaves, wood, bak etc are used in commercial cosmetic preparations as perfumes. The dried and powdered bark is used in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin conditioner, hair conditioner, for oral care etc. The wood is used for making furniture, sawing boards, implements etc.

Other Information

It is a cultivated plant.

Notes

There are about 250 Cinnamomum species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Cassia, Chheu aem, Chinese cassia, Chinese cinnamon tree, Davulkurundu, False cinnamon, Flesh Cassia, Kayu manis china, Kuda-dawula, Massoia, Pohon kayumanis cina, Que, Que don, Rou gui, Rougui, Sambao lvaeng, Wal-kurudu

References (42)

• Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 1089
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 125
• Arora, R. K., 2014, Diversity in Underutilized Plant Species - An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Bioversity International. p 102
• Barwick, M., 2004, Tropical and Subtropical Trees. A Worldwide Encyclopedic Guide. Thames and Hudson p 115 (As Cinnamomum aromaticum)
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 258

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