Spice Up Your Home or Garden With This Aromatic Tree!

Add a cozy twist to your herb garden by growing your own cinnamon at home! With its distinctive, weathered appearance and twisting limbs and trunk, the Cinnamon Tree carries an old-world charm.

The Cinnamon Tree is a semi-tropical evergreen tree that grows rapidly year-round. It features leathery, tear-shaped leaves in a rich green hue that deepens to purple with maturity. Adding to the allure and uniqueness of the Cinnamon Tree are clusters of dark purple berries and petite yellow flowers.

The aromatic and edible spice you know and love can be found underneath the thick bark of the Cinnamon Tree. The tree's inner bark can be ground into cinnamon spice and used for cooking, aromatics, and other culinary creations. Imagine homemade apple pie or peach cobbler with fresh cinnamon from your own backyard - or warm, comforting spiced drinks by the fireplace when the weather gets cooler!

The best part? Your Cinnamon Tree will thrive indoors or outdoors - so you'll have access to fresh cinnamon no matter the climate! Grab a Cinnamon Tree today and add some spice to your life!

Planting & Care

Location: Cinnamon Trees prefer full to partial sun exposure. If possible, 7-10 hours of sun is best for growth and spice production. A well-draining soil is very important, as Cinnamon Trees will experience root rot if left in wet soil for too long. I

Planting: Cinnamon Trees are fast-growing and require space to stretch out, so plant them at least 10 feet from other trees or shrubs.

Dig your hole in a full to partial sun location and place your tree inside. Gently comb the root ball with your hands to free the roots up a bit, positioning them downwards in the hole. Add one ounce of a balanced, granular fertilizer formula into the tree's soil while planting. Backfill the hole, gently tamping down the soil as you fill it in, and then mulch the soil with compost. About 20 lbs. of compost will be needed at the time of planting.

Potting: Cinnamon Trees grow very well in containers, too, as long as you provide an adequately sized pot for root development. Select a pot 18-24+ inches in diameter and 20+ inches in height, with adequate drainage holes. Glazed pots require far less watering than raw terracotta pots due to their porous nature.

Select your pot and use a well-draining, acidic potting mix (half perlite and half sphagnum peat moss) and set the pot in an area with plenty of bright, indirect sun. Water when the soil feels dry at a depth of about an inch below the soil surface. Add just enough to where you see the water starting to escape the drainage holes and stop. Mist occasionally if the indoor air is dry.

*BB Tip: Whether growing your cinnamon tree inside or out, be sure to maintain a temperature no lower than 60 degrees.

Watering: When watering Cinnamon Trees, make sure to lightly soak the soil and do not water again until the top 2 inches are dry. Be sure to not over-water.

Pruning: Allow your new tree at least two years of growth before pruning. After that, prune at any time to harvest or to prevent plants from becoming too tall or wide. Every couple of years, you can cut the stems close to the ground. When pruning, try to maintain straight canes.

Fertilizing: It is recommended that you fertilize at the same time as you water using a time-released fertilizer 10-10-10 formula or similar to help your Cinnamon Trees grow and produce a substantial crop. These trees may require multiple feedings during the growing season. Follow the fertilizer’s label instructions so as to not burn or kill the tree.

Harvesting: Wait 2-3 years after planting before harvesting your first canes. Your Cinnamon Tree is ready to harvest when the canes reach about 2-3 meters high and 2-5 centimeters in diameter.

Once you harvest, you can do so again every two years. Young whips and mature wood make up the different types of bark you can harvest from the cinnamon tree. Score the bark without cutting all the way through it.

For young whips: Cut the whips into 3-inch segments. Score the bark lengthwise end to end, cutting just deep enough to loosen the bark. Peel off the bark, which will curl up naturally, and dry in an airy, warm, open spot like your kitchen counter. If you want a thicker layered, compact cinnamon stick, layer the pieces inside one another before setting them out to dry. Once the sticks have dried they can be shaved for the spice.

For mature trees: Cut stems into 3-inch segments, making a lengthwise slice halfway into the stem, but don't go completely through. Mature bark will not peel as easily as young bark. Scrape out the core and the inner lining, then allow the remaining bark to completely dry out.

*BB Tip: Store your harvested cinnamon in a cool, dry place. Your harvest should be generous, so be sure to label the containers with a date to ensure you use the older stock first. Keep your container closed tightly after each use. Prolonged exposure to the air can cause a loss of flavor and aroma.