Description Cinnamomum Cassia (Chinese Cinnamon)
is the dried bark of cassia which is a small,
bushy, ever green tree, 18-20 mtr high and 40-60
cm diameter with a straight and cylindrical
trunk and grey brown bark, 13-15mm thick when
mature.
Origin
and Distribution Chinese Cassia occurs mainly in South
China, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. In India
only a few plants are available. It is grown
at altitudes up to 300 mtr MSL with a mean daily
temperature of about 23 degree C and an annual
rainfall of 1250 mm in about 135 wet days. It
is a light demanding tree, slightly shade tolerant
when young, preferring cool and wet condition.
Uses Dried Cassia bark is the spice. The essential
oil is called cassia cinnamon oil (Oleum Cinnamon).
Apart from its use as spice, it is a well known
medicine reinforcing ‘yang’, the
body fire. ‘Gui zhi’ (dried twig
of cassia cinnamon) is collected in spring and
summer and dried in the sun or in the shade
used in decoctions, has analgesic and anti-pyretic
properties.
