Cinnamon

Cinnamon is grown mainly by smallholder farmers in a limited number of tropical producing regions, most notably Sri Lanka for true cinnamon, with cassia-type bark produced from related species in parts of South and Southeast Asia.

Because harvesting relies on skilled hand-peeling of young stems, cinnamon production remains a labor-intensive, specialized craft, often passed down within farming communities in traditional producing areas.

Family

Lauraceae (laurel family)

Genus

Cinnamomum

Principal species

Cinnamomum verum (true or Ceylon cinnamon); related species including C. cassia yield bark traded as cassia or cinnamon

Growth habit

Evergreen tree managed as a coppiced shrub, producing multiple young stems harvested in rotation for their bark

True cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka and parts of southern India, where it has been cultivated and traded as a valuable spice for centuries, historically driving long-distance trade connections between South Asia and other regions.

Sri Lanka remains the leading producer of true cinnamon today, while cassia-type bark is produced mainly in China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Production and trade figures are compiled by FAO and national agricultural agencies.

Cinnamon requires warm, humid tropical lowland conditions with well-distributed rainfall, supporting the vigorous young shoot growth from which bark is harvested.

The tree has essentially no cold or frost tolerance, restricting cultivation to consistently warm tropical zones.

Cinnamon is traditionally grown on well-drained sandy and lateritic soils, including coastal sandy soils in parts of Sri Lanka, reflecting adaptation to soils of moderate fertility provided drainage is adequate.

New plantings are established from seedlings or cuttings, with young plants coppiced after an initial establishment period to encourage the multiple-stem growth habit used for ongoing bark harvest.

• Selection of true cinnamon or cassia-type species according to target market
• Coppicing regime established once plants reach sufficient size, then repeated on a cycle
• Shade or intercrop management in some traditional smallholder systems
• Long-term stool (stump) management to sustain multiple harvestable stems over many years

Nitrogen supports the vigorous regrowth of young stems needed for repeated bark harvest, while potassium contributes to overall plant vigor and stem quality across coppicing cycles.

Cinnamon is grown predominantly under rain-fed conditions in consistently humid tropical regions, since traditional production areas typically receive well-distributed rainfall throughout the year.

Supplemental irrigation is used in some newer or drier production areas, primarily to support establishment and regrowth after coppicing.

Anthracnose can affect leaves and young shoots under humid conditions, while root rot can weaken or kill stems, particularly in poorly drained soils. Scale insects and mealybugs are common sap-feeding pests that can affect foliage and young stems.

Management relies on well-drained sites, field sanitation, monitoring, and — where justified — locally authorized control products applied according to their labels.

Young stems of an appropriate age and diameter are cut, and the inner bark is carefully hand-peeled, dried, and rolled into quills, a skilled process that determines much of the final product’s grade and quality.

• Dried bark quills and ground powder used as a culinary spice
• Cinnamon leaf and bark oil extracted for food and fragrance industries
• By-products such as lower-grade bark and chips used in extraction and processing
• Ornamental and smallholder intercrop value in traditional producing regions