Plant · P-643

Cassia Cinnamon

Cinnamomum cassia

This evergreen tree's bark is the dried spice sold as plain ground cinnamon through most of the world; true cinnamon is a milder, different species. Its immature fruit, picked as cassia buds, flavors breads, cakes and pickles, and an oil pressed from the leaves scents soft drinks, toothpaste and incense. The bark carries far more coumarin than true cinnamon, enough that an average adult reaches the tolerable daily limit at around two grams. It needs a frost-free tropical to subtropical climate on damp, humus-rich soil, and stalls badly wherever winters bring hard freezes.