Can you grow cinnamon outdoors in your region?

[bubba]

Articles on the Internet range from the opinion that Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum vera, formerly C. zeylanicum) cannot be grown outdoors in southern California and South Florida (see Logee’s) to that it is a relatively easy to grow zone 9-11 sub-tropical. Dave’s Garden confirms this opinion and lists areas of outdoor growth from California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. In one article, there is a recent picture (4/4/2022) of what appears to be a large specimen of Ceylon cinnamon at the San Antonio Botanical Garden (inside a pavilion?). I believe that San Antonio recorded a low temperature of 9°F in the February 2021 freeze.

My guess is that different varieties of cinnamon have different cold tolerances, but I am not certain. A variety of cinnamon, referred to as wild cinnamon, is said to be limited to the west Indies. It is also said to grow in the Florida Keys and throughout Florida zone 10 B.

Does cinnamon grow outdoors in your region? If so, can you post a picture of your specimen, and give an opinion of the variety and its cold tolerance?

[bubba]

This variety of cinnamon was identified by the owner of this garden as Ceylon cinnamon:

[bubba]

[richtrav]

This is the cinnamon tree growing at the San Antonio Botanical Garden outdoors in the courtyard. This picture is from May 2021 so it has taken a lot of cold.

[gurugu]

This Cinnamomum camphora has been growing here for the last 100 years or so. There was a second one, side by side, as tall as this one, but was chopped down because it was ill. I can tell you it is huge!

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.2659318,-2.9438096,3a,75y,146.17h,118.49t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sbhvrDSbrjZ1HWnnh674GFw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DbhvrDSbrjZ1HWnnh674GFw%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D161.85274%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656

[bubba]

Thank you for answering my question! The pictured C. cassia is a variety from China, which I believe is also referred to as C. camphora. It is another variety of cinnamon that is widely referred to in Dave’s Garden but is separate and apart from Ceylon cinnamon (C. vera).
 

Ceylon cinnamon, also known as true cinnamon, is tropical in nature. It certainly could not withstand the temperatures experienced in San Antonio or other regions of the southwest and south mentioned in Dave’s Garden. My question was whether anyone in the continental United States was growing Ceylon cinnamon (C. vera) outdoors. I would love to see pictures or anecdotal stories about Ceylon cinnamon being grown outdoors in the continental United States.

 

 

 

[Alan_Tampa]

USF botanical botanical garden had one, it was there for a pretty long time before 2010. A friend had one in his former yard, it did okay for 5 or 6 years but he has sold his house, so I don't know if it is still there or not. This is in Tampa.  

[Eric in Orlando]

We grow Cinnamomum aromaticum (formerly C. cassia) and C. burmannii at Leu Gardens.  Batavia or Indonesian Cinnamon comes from C. burmannii and is usually the source of the common, most inexpensive cinnamon sold in the U.S.  C. aromaticum produces Cassia or Chinese Cinnamon which is a more expensive cinnamon.

Cinnamomum verum (formerly C. zeylanicum) is Ceylon Cinnamon and is also a more expensive cinnamon. But this one is cold sensitive. I have tried it several times. It can grow well here for several years but it really doesn't like prolonged temperatures below 29-30F. C. aromaticum gets severe damage below around 24F while C. burmanni is hardy to around 25-26F

C. loureiroi, Saigon Cinnamon and C. citriodorum, Malabar Cinnamon also used for cinnamon. I would like totry these 2 also but never come across sources.

 

Cinnamomum camphora is the Camphor Tree and the source of camphor oil but not cinnamon.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Cinnamon verum and aromaticum are great growers in SoFla.  Both at the Deerfield Beach Arboretum.

[bubba]

C. aromaticum and C cassia are one and the same. The tree in San Antonio pictured by Rich Travis was a C. cassia and it apparently took 9-12F! 

C verum is true cinnamon from Ceylon and very tropical. Geraldo, always great to hear from you!
 

 

[aussiearoids]

This is the real deal .C verum. has been thriving for 15 years and is now very crowded . 

Impossible to get a good pic sorry .

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

We had the C. verum/zeylanicum unlabled for years and it really was an attractive tree.  Once we put a sign on it identifying it, it quickly was defoliated up to about 8 feet, just out of peoples reach.  There is also a lot of trunk scarring as people slice bits of bark off.  People. That is what you get in a public garden.

 

The same defoliation occurred on the nearby Allspice and Bay Rum trees, but not the trunk damage.

[aztropic]

C verum does grow in the Arizona desert,but it needs protection from the summer sun. Mine looks great when it puts on new growth in spring,but June - September sun and heat do a number on it every year. It was about 8 feet tall and has been in the ground about 15 years,but I cut it in half to keep it more manageable as a bush.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

[bubba]

Only you could accomplish this, Mr aztropic! Thank you!