Small-leaved aromatic cassia
Cinnamomum subavenium

Family: Lauraceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It grows up to 20 m tall. The trunk is 50 cm across. The bark is grey and smooth. The young branches are slender and covered with yellow hairs. Leaves on young branches are almost opposite but on old branches are alternate. Leaves are oval to sword shaped and the leaf blade is 4-13.5 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. Leaves are leathery. In young leaves are upper surface is dark green with yellow hairs. They become smooth with age. The lower surface is yellow green. The base of the leaf is rounded and it tapers to the tip. The flowers are greenish-yellow. They are in clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit is oval and 7 mm long by 5 mm wide. They are blue-black when mature.

There are about 250 Cinnamomum species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In southern China it grows in evergreen forest and mountain slopes between 400-1100 m altitude. It can be higher. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, SE Asia, Taiwan, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The leaves are an important spice for food. They are used for flavouring.

It is used for flavouring canned foods in Hubei. The leaves are an important spice.

Edible parts

Leaves - spice, bark - spice

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Cuo pi cuo guo luo, Ge long jiang, Guo bai san, Pohon kayumanis harum, Xiang gui

Synonyms

Cinnamomum bartheifolium Hay; Cinnamomum chingii Metc.; Cinnamomum longicarpum Kanehira; Cinnamomum randiense Hayata; Cinnamomum ridleyi Gamble; Cinnamomum validinerve Hance var. poilanei H. Liou; Cinnamomum albiflorum Nees var. kwangtungensis H.Liou; ? Cinnamomum argentum H. Liou; ? Cinnamomum liouii Allen; ?