Cinnamon: Its Not Just For Making Cinnamon Rolls :: Botany

Cinnamon: It's Not Just For Making Cinnamon Rolls Most people around the world are familiar with the sweet and pungent taste of cinnamon. Cinnamon is the common name for the trees and shrubs that belong to the genus Cinnamomum of the Laurel family (Lauraceae). Cinnamon spice comes primarily from the Sri Lankan cinnamon known as Cinnamomum zeylanicum. It is obtained from the plant by drying the central part of the bark, which is then sold in stick or powdered form. The cinnamon oil is extracted from the waste products of drying and the pointed black fruits that the tree bears (1). This oil is used for medicinal purposes or flavoring (2). Cinnamomum Zeylanicum is the source of cinnamon that we in the United States commonly buy. Cinnamon contains cinnamic aldehyde, essential oils, Eugenol, metholeugenol, muscilage, sucrose, starch, and tannin (3). Distribution Have you ever wondered where cinnamon comes from? It is unbelievable to think that there is a place somewhere in the world where cinnamon is commonly seen growing along the side of the road. Just imagine walking through campus with cinnamon trees growing all around you. Cinnamon is native to India, Mayala, Ceylon, China, Japan and Taiwan, where it is as common to them as an Oak tree wood be to us (1). The spice grows in a number of tropical forests and is extensively cultivated throughout the tropical regions of the world, including Madagascar, Brazil, and the Caribbean (4). Cinnamomum zeylanicum, True Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka, India, where it was one of the spices responsible for world trade (5). Description The Cinnamomum zeylanicum tree grows up to thirty feet tall with ovate to ovate-lanceolate leaves that can be four to seven inches long. The flowers are inconspicuous, and the panicles of the yellowish flowers are usually longer than the leaves (6). These panicles bear pointed black fruits from which cinnamon oil is extracted. The cinnamon sticks are made from the bark of the tree and are rolled naturally when the bark is sun-dried. The tree grows best in deep, well-drained, moist soils (1). Uses Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) has many common everyday uses and some not so common uses. Everybody has probably used cinnamon for some reason, whether for cooking purposes or medicinal purposes. Despite being widely used in food and pharmacy it is also important in the cosmetic and perfumery industries (7). In some areas cinnamon has been known to be used for religious purposes.