These alternative names for cinnamon you may not know yet

Lauraceae, genus Cinnamomum

Yucui (jade cinnamon), Mugui (male cinnamon), Jungui (mushroom cinnamon), Latin scientific name Cinnamomum cassia Presl

Cinnamon is grown fairly widely in China, and is cultivated throughout the southeastern coastal regions, such as Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang, among which several cities in Guangdong are known as the hometown of Chinese cinnamon.

Cinnamon is an evergreen tree of the family Lauraceae, about 12-17m tall. The bark of the cinnamon tree is grayish brown and aromatic; the leaves are long-elliptical and alternate, with slightly pointed tips, blunt bases and entire margins, green and glossy on the upper surface and grayish green on the lower surface; they feel leathery to the touch; the flowers are axillary or nearly terminal panicles, and the berries are dark purple, elliptical or obovate; the seeds are purple and long-ovate. The flowering period is generally from May to July, and the fruiting period is from February to March of the following year.

Cinnamon mostly grows in evergreen broad-leaved forests, and is generally cultivated on sand dunes or sloping hillsides. It likes warm, humid climatic conditions with plenty of sunlight; well-drained, fertile, slightly acidic red sandy soil is suitable for its growth; generally it sprouts about one month after sowing, at which point weeds should be removed promptly, a shade shed should be put up to prevent scorching sun exposure, and it is important to water frequently to keep the soil moist and prevent drought.