A Step-by-Step Guide to Growing Your Own Cinnamon from Scratch

Cinnamon is a beloved spice that adds warmth and depth to many dishes, from sweet baked goods to savory curries. While most cinnamon comes from Sri Lanka, it’s possible to grow your own cinnamon tree and enjoy fresh cinnamon in your cooking. Growing cinnamon requires a bit of patience, as the tree takes several years to mature, but the end result is worth the wait. Here’s how to get started.

Choose the Right Location

Cinnamon trees need a warm, humid climate to thrive, so they’re best suited to tropical or subtropical regions. If you live in a colder climate, you can still grow cinnamon indoors or in a greenhouse. Choose a spot with well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight, but avoid direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day.

Start with a Cutting

Cinnamon trees are typically grown from cuttings rather than seeds. To start, find a mature cinnamon tree and take a cutting that’s around 4-6 inches long. Make sure the cutting has at least two leaves and a node, which is the point where the leaf meets the stem.

Prepare the Cutting

Remove the bottom set of leaves from the cutting, leaving a bare stem. Dip the cut end of the stem in rooting hormone to encourage it to grow roots. Then, plant the cutting in a small pot filled with moist potting soil. Water the soil lightly and cover the pot with a plastic bag to create a humid environment.

Wait for Roots to Grow

Cinnamon cuttings can take several months to grow roots, so be patient. Keep the soil moist and check the cutting regularly for signs of growth. Once you see new leaves forming, you’ll know that roots have developed.

Cinnamon seedling – Affitisciuto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Transplant to a Larger Pot

Once the cutting has developed a healthy root system, it’s ready to be transplanted to a larger pot. Choose a pot that’s at least 12 inches in diameter and filled with well-draining soil. Place the cinnamon tree in the pot and water it thoroughly.

Care for Your Cinnamon Tree

Cinnamon trees need regular watering to keep the soil moist, but they don’t like to be waterlogged. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Fertilize your cinnamon tree every three months with a balanced fertilizer. Prune the tree occasionally to promote healthy growth.

Harvest Your Cinnamon

It can take several years for a cinnamon tree to mature enough to harvest its bark. Once the tree is around three years old, you can begin to harvest the bark. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut away a strip of bark from a branch. The bark will be thin and papery, with a fragrant aroma. Dry the bark in the sun for several days, then store it in an airtight container.

Growing your own cinnamon tree requires patience and dedication, but the end result is a fragrant, flavorful spice that you can enjoy in your cooking for years to come.