Cassia

* Botanical Name: Cinnamomum cassia Blume. * 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 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.