Cinnamomum japonicum Seeds | Japanese Cinnamon

Glossy dark brown Japanese Cinnamon seeds in a shallow cup, on a plain background — Japanese Cinnamon (*Cinnamomum japonicum*): Lauraceae, an evergreen tree of the coastal woods of Japan, Korea, Taiwan and eastern China.

LATIN NAME: Cinnamomum japonicum

COMMON NAME: Japanese Cinnamon

Plant Profile

Japanese Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree of the laurel family, usually five to ten metres tall, with a rounded crown and opposite, leathery, glossy leaves that are pale beneath. Its small yellow-green flowers open in spring, and its dark fruits ripen in autumn in a shallow cup.

It grows in the coastal woods of Japan, Korea, Taiwan and eastern China, often within reach of salt spray, and it is one of the common evergreen trees of the Japanese satoyama landscape. In Japanese it is yabunikkei, and its bark and leaves have a mild cinnamon scent when crushed. The bark is smooth and grey-brown, and the crown is dense enough to cast a deep, dry shade beneath it.

Science & Biotechnology

The species is one of the tetraploid cinnamons, and its chromosome number and its relationships with the Chinese species have been studied as part of the revision of the genus in East Asia. Its leaf oil is dominated by camphor and by sesquiterpenes rather than by cinnamaldehyde, which is why it is not a commercial cinnamon.

Its tolerance of salt and wind has made it a subject in coastal forestry in Japan, where it is planted as a shelterbelt tree and as a component of mixed coastal woodland. The fruits are eaten by birds, which spread the seed into hedges and waste ground.

Uses & Benefits

Its timber is hard and is used for small construction, tool handles and furniture in Japan, and the tree is planted as a coastal shelter and as an ornamental. The leaves are used locally as a flavouring and as a wrapping for food, in the way that other aromatic leaves are used in Japanese cooking.

In the garden it is a useful evergreen for a mild, coastal site, where its dense crown tolerates wind and salt and its glossy leaves give year-round structure. It clips well and can be grown as a loose hedge or a small specimen tree. The wood is fine-grained enough for turnery, and in Japan it is used for tool handles and for small carved objects. The tree is also used as a rootstock for other cinnamons in Japan.

Growing from Seed

Sow fresh seed in autumn or spring in a loose, free-draining mix at 18 to 22 °C, covering it lightly. Germination takes four to eight weeks, and the seed loses viability if it dries out, so keep it moist from the moment the fruit is cleaned.

Plant out in sun or part shade in deep, well-drained soil, and water through the first two summers. The tree tolerates coastal wind and salt once established, and it needs little pruning beyond the removal of dead wood. It is hardy to about -12 °C, but it crops and grows best in a mild climate.

Our Take

A modest evergreen cinnamon of the Japanese coast, useful for shelter and structure rather than for spice. It takes wind, salt and clipping, and asks for little else.

Tree Seeds