Scientific Name: Cinnamomum cassia
AKA: Daruchini, Tvak, Dalchini, Laurus Cinnamomum, tamalapatra, vazhana, karuva
Parts Used: Bark
Active Compounds: Volatile oil, sugar and tannin
Background: Cinnamon has been used for thousands of years, and was highly sought and expensive in ancient times. The earliest recorded use was in ancient Egypt as part of the mixture for embalming. It is native to Sri Lanka and southwest India, explaining the historically high cost to ancient civilizations. The Dutch monopolized the Cinnamon trade, and claimed that cultivated spice was ineffectual. This was not challenged until 1776 when cultivation of Cinnamon was first attempted. Flavors of meat, vegetables and sweets have been enhanced with Cinnamon in countries throughout the eastern continents.
Description:
Cinnamon is a tree reaching up to 30 feet in height with a heavy, rough-scaled bark. Hidden white flowers occur in panicles. The red lance-shaped leaves become green with maturity and smell of cinnamon with a hot, spicy taste. Camphor can be obtained upon distillation of the fruit, an acorn-like oval berry. The inner bark of young shoots is dried for commercial use. The trees prefer a rainforest-type environment with very sandy soils and little organic matter.
WARNING THIS ITEM CAN NOT BE SHIPPED TO Australia
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