Cinnamon tree for sale – Easy plant to grow, with edible bark and leaves, also can be grown for the ornamental leaves and for fragrant, planting in spring to summer, better to buy plant or another option to start from seeds yet more challenging.
Cinnamon tree – information before buying:
Growing information: perennial plant, growing hardiness zone: 8-11, water needed – average to big amount, light conditions – full sun to partial shade, height: 4-15 m 12-50 feet.
Blooming in autumn to winter in star shaped flowers that appear in yellow color.
Edible parts: leaves and bark can used for beverage, fragrance, cooked, spices, herb, leaves can be used after the plant establish and bark after the plant mature enough.
Alternative names: Cinnamon, Cinnamomum
Cinnamon tree for sale
Cinnamon tree is a smaller semi-tropical tree.
Species – There are hundreds of types of cinnamon but only 5 types are used for commercial purposes.
- Cinnamomum cassia – (Chinese cassia, Chinese cinnamon, False cinnamon, Cassia aromaticum) is the most common commercial type. Its hardiness zone is 9+. The dried bark is used as a spice. The flavor is sweeter than the other species. Cinnamomum cassia sticks are hard and constituted by one extremely thick layer hard to break. Cinnamomum cassia is used as a flavoring agent for his strong bitter taste.
- Cinnamomum loureiroi – (also known as Saigon cinnamon, Vietnamese cinnamon, Vietnamese cassia) grows in hardiness zone 10+. The plant has a spicy taste with an intensively fragrant flavor. The color is dark reddish brown. It contains high levels of oil.
- Cinnamomum citriodorum (also known as Malabar cinnamon) has a specific smell of lemon grass. It grows in hardiness zone 11+.
- Cinnamomum verum – (also known as True cinnamon tree, Ceylon cinnamon, Mexican cinnamon, Cinnamon zeylanicum) grows in hardiness zone 10+. Cinnamomum verum’s flavor and aroma are extremely mild and delicate. Ceylon Cinnamon is lighter in color while other Cinnamon species are darker in color. Ceylon cinnamon is considered as the healthiest one as it contains ultra-low levels of Coumarin (a substance causing liver damages and affecting coagulation) compared to the other species of Cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon is really expensive. Due to it sweet fragrance Ceylon cinnamon is more suitable le for deserts
- Cinnamomum burmannii – (also known as Indonesian cinnamon, Padang cassia, Batavia cassia, Korintje) grows in hardiness zone 9+. Cinnamomum burmannii is the sweetest cinnamon.
Uses –
- Medicinal – Cinnamon has plenty medicinal purposes: anti-inflammatory properties, anti-diabetic effects as it regulates the insulin levels and helps lower total cholesterol. Cinnamon is a remedy for digestive diseases (acidity, difficulties with digestion, aerophagia, bad breath and loss of appetite). Preparations with cinnamon plant can be used against fungi in nails. With antioxidant properties cinnamon helps brain function against neurological disorders (Parkinson, Alzheimer).
- Edible uses – Even if both the stem and the bark of the tree are aromatic, the spice is mostly made from the inner bark. As a spice can be used in cookies, cakes, pastas, jams, rice, puddings, oatmeal and other deserts. The spice is mostly available in sticks form but can also be in powder or oil. Cinnamon can be used as a flavoring aliment in marinades for meats (lamb, beef), in soups (pumpkin soup), in drinks (coffee, hot chocolate, fruit smoothies, tea with the aromatic cinnamon leaf).
- Gardening – Cinnamon has also positive effects on gardening as it is a good deterrent against aunts and flying bug deterrent, a rooting agent helping to propagate new roots and to prevent fungus and wild mushrooms. Cinnamon is a seedling nurturer. Add powdered cinnamon to your soil to prevent diseases when planting seedlings. As a preventing measure vaporize cinnamon tea on your seedlings.
- Other uses – It is also use in aromatherapy and massages.
Here are some growing tips:
Location – Cinnamon tree can grows indoor or outdoor as long as it receives enough sunlight. Better the temperature won’t be under 18°C (64°F). The soil must be rich well drained and acidic (pH around 5). A mixture of soil, perlite and sand is recommended.
Planting – The best is to start in the spring. Cinnamon is mostly propagated by seeds. Soak the seeds into the water for 24 hours. The seed should be sowed 1cm (0.75inch) under the soil with high irrigation. Germination takes place 3 weeks later. Cinnamon tree can also be propagated by cuttings or air layering (air layering is a method of propagating new trees from stems still attached to the initial plant). Start with a large container. Seedling should be transplanted in a hole enough large to contain all the roots. The size of the tree will depend of the size of the pot before transfer.
Watering – The plant likes when it is warm and humid like in the jungle. In his natural environment the temperature is around 27°C (81°F). Using mulch keeps the roots with moisture. Make sure to lightly soak the soil and not to over water.
Pruning – Cinnamon plant doesn’t need so much pruning, only to remove damages branches, better to leave few main branches it easier to harvest, in commercial use leave one main truck but in homemade growing, harvesting few small branches will be more effective
Harvesting – Wait at least 2 years before starting to harvest. To harvest you need to cut some branches or an entire section of the tree. The perfect size for the branches or stem is around 2 -6cm (0.7- 2.3 inches). Remove the outer bark’s layer. It will release an inner bark, peel the inner bark in sheets. This inner bark will be used as a spice. Freshly harvested, cinnamon quills will dry in a safe clean environment during a week. Generally Cinnamon is sold in quills.
Fertilizing – Fertilize indoor trees twice a month from spring until fall. Don’t fertilize in winter. For outdoor trees the fertilizer varies according to the age of the plantation. Fertilizer should be mixed with soil.
Pest and diseases – Grey leaf spot/blight caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Prune infected branches.