Description: Grows best in almost pure sand, requiring only 1 per cent of vegetable substance; it prefers a sheltered place, constant rain, heat and equal temperature. The Dutch owned the monopoly of the trade of the wild produce, and it was not cultivated until 1776, owing to Dutch opposition and the belief that cultivation would destroy its properties.

The commercial Cinnamon bark is the dried inner bark of the shoots.

The name cassia indirectly derives from Greek kasia [ ?as?a ], which is probably a loan from Semitic traders (cf. Old Hebrew qetsiiah [ ????? ]); its ultimate origin is not fully clear, but the name might well derive, as the spice itself, from China in a larger sense. It was suggested that cassia might be related to the name of the Khasi people, an Austroasiatic tribe in North-Eastern India (union state Meghalaya) and Bangladesh. Formerly, they inhabitated a larger area in Assam, extending to Burma, and they might have been involved in ancient cassia trade.

Pliny wrote in A.D.77 '...there is a tale of cinnamon growing around marshes under the protection of a terrible kind of bats...invented by the natives to raise the price'. Cinnamon is a native of Ceylon, and was first recorded in 1275 in a work by the Arab writer Kazwini. The Chinese use both the bark ( rou gui ) and the twigs ( gui zhi ) of their native variety, C.cassia. Traditionally, the bark was believed best for the torso, the twigs for the fingers and toes. Research has highlighted hypoglycaemic properties, useful in diabetes. It is a key ingredient of mulled wine.Cinnamon is often used to flavour toothpastes, the eugenol being an effective breath-freshener.

Main constituents: Similarly to Ceylon cinnamon , cassia contains max. 4% essential oil, 75 to 90% of which are composed by cinnamic aldehyd. Eugenol is found only in traces, but small amounts (7%) of coumarin; therefore, analysis of eugenol and coumarin discriminates between Ceylon and Chinese cinnamon. Trace components of cassia oil are benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, salicylic acid and the corresponding esters and aldehyds. Cassia bark contains significantly more slime (11%) than Ceylon cinnamon bark

Properties: alterative, analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, anti-rheumatic, antispasmodic, aromatic, astringent, carminative, demulcent, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, germicide, hemostatic, stimulant, stomachic

Uses: Add cinnamon to remedies for acute symptoms, as this herb is a stimulant to other herbs and to the body, enabling herbal remedies to work faster. It is also a blood purifier, an infection preventer, and a digestive aid. It has been used to treat menstrual cramps and diarrhea. Do not ingest cinnamon oil. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy to treat nausea, tiredness, and depression, and is used in massage oils to treat rheumatism.

Safety Considerations: Caution: Bleeding disorders. Therapeutic doses, particularly of the essential oil, should be avoided in pregnancy as Cinnamonum is a potential uterine stimulant. It should be used with care in feverish conditions.

Magical:

Folk Names: Sweet Wood, Ceylon cinnamon.

Gender: Masculine

Planet:Sun

Powers: Spirituality, Success, Healing, Power, Psychic Powers:, Lust, Protection, Love.

Uses: When burned as an incense, made into a sachet or made into an infusion, cinnamon raises high spiritual vibrations, draws money, aids in healing, and stimulates psychic Powers: and produces protective vibrations.

Ritual Uses: Cinnamon oil was used as part of holy anointing oil by the ancient Hebrews. Ancient Roman temples were decorated by cinnamon tree leaves woven into wreaths. Cinnamon oil was used during the mummification process by the Egyptians

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