Cinnamomum wilsonii Seeds | Wilson’s Cinnamon
LATIN NAME: Cinnamomum wilsonii
COMMON NAME: Wilson’s Cinnamon
Plant Profile
Wilson’s Cinnamon (Cinnamomum wilsonii) grows as a handsome, upright, evergreen tree in the laurel family, native to warm forests of the central and the western China, while it is prized for its fine, aromatic bark. In the laurel family it is the aromatic, evergreen cinnamon of the warm forests, a tree whose bark and leaves carry the famous, warming scent of the family. In good conditions it grows to around Twenty metres. Together these qualities explain its long-standing appeal to gardeners.
Science & Biotechnology
The species features in the wider study of the laurel family, and its traits make it a useful subject for work on germination biology, cultivation and ornamental selection. Botanists have mapped its place in warm forests of the central and the western China, and foresters have studied useful wood and aromatic bark of the region. Breeders and collectors still work with it, so well-kept seed remains available.
Uses & Benefits
Wilson’s Cinnamon brings genuine presence to the garden and earns its keep across the growing season. In warm garden, the Wilson’s cinnamon is glossy, aromatic tree of sheltered corner. Its small flowers feed insects, its black, fleshy fruits feed birds, and evergreen crown gives garden shade and shelter through the year. Aromatic bark and leaves have served fine cooking and flavouring of region, and tree grows well in rich, moist, well-drained ground. Routine care after establishment is refreshingly light.
Cinnamon is a spice and a medicine chest: its bark oil and polyphenols are studied for post-meal blood-sugar support, and cassia bark, Rou Gui, is a major warming herb of Chinese medicine. The leaf oil supplies eugenol for dentistry and flavoring.
Growing from Seed
Wilson’s Cinnamon grows readily from seed. Sow the seed evenly over the surface and cover lightly, using a loose, well-drained seed compost, and keep it just moist in bright light until the seedlings are well up. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
Our Take
Reaching twenty metres, it needs room to show its full form. Attention to moisture in the first weeks pays off; later, the plant is forgiving.
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