Where Does Cinnamon Come From?

Cinnamon is a warm, aromatic spice with a massive variety of uses. Cinnamon is commonly used in desserts, pastries, drinks, and even savory dishes. But where does one of our favorite spices even come from? Read on to find out!

Cinnamon comes from the dried inner bark of a specific type of tree. Cinnamon can come from hundreds of different species of trees belonging to the group (genus) Cinnamomum. Cinnamon is native to Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) as well as areas of India and Myanmar (Burma). Cinnamon can be either a cinnamon stick or ground into powder. (Fessenden, 2015))

Types of Cinnamon

Ceylon Cinnamon

There are two main types of cinnamon, Ceylon cinnamon, and Cassia cinnamon. First is Ceylon cinnamon which is native to Sri Lanka. It comes from Cinnamomum verum trees (also called Cinnamomum zeylanicum). Often called “true cinnamon,” Ceylon cinnamon has a mild, subtle flavor. Some consider Ceylon cinnamon to be higher quality cinnamon than Cassia cinnamon.

Cassia Cinnamon

Cassia cinnamon comes from the Cinnamomum cassia tree (AKA Cinnamomum aromaticum). It originated in Southern China, but types of Cassia cinnamon are grown across Eastern and Southern Asia. Its flavor is stronger and earthier than Ceylon cinnamon ((Fessenden 2015, Britanica 2019).

If you are shopping for cinnamon in western Europe or the United States, you are probably buying the cassia variety of cinnamon. You can assume that if the packaging doesn’t specify the type of cinnamon that it is Cassia cinnamon. Saigon, Chinese and Indonesian cinnamon are all types of Cassia cinnamon.

How is Cinnamon Harvested?

Cinnamon comes from a bushy, evergreen type of tree. It takes about two years of growth for the trees to be ready for harvesting. You harvest cinnamon by cutting the entire tree down several inches from the root; this is a technique called coppicing. Then the trees can regrow from the root stump for several generations.

The bark’s outer layer is removed as it is quite woody and does not have any cinnamon flavor. The inner bark is then carefully removed and allowed to dry. Cinnamon harvesting is still done mostly by hand. While the sheets of inner bark layers are drying, they curl up into what we know as a cinnamon stick. Ceylon cinnamon typically has multiple delicate layers that make up the stick, while Cassia cinnamon is one thick, rolled layer. Cinnamon is then sold either as a stick or ground into cinnamon powder. (Smithsonian)

If you’re looking for a cinnamon-filled recipe, I highly recommend my Amazing Cinnamon Rolls or Cinnamon Swirl Bread. Happy Baking!