Description: Cassia grows in hot, wet, tropical climates both wild and commercially. The stems are cut down when the bark is mature. The bark is removed in short lengths and dried, with some varieties rolling into quills. Cassia is an aromatic bark, similar to cinnamon, but differing in strength and quality. Cassia bark is darker, thicker and coarser, and the corky outer bark is often left on. The outer surface is rough and grayish brown, the inside bark is smoother and reddish-brown. Cassia is less costly than cinnamon and is often sold ground as cinnamon. When buying as sticks, cinnamon rolls into a single quill while cassia is rolled from both sides toward the center so that they end up resembling scrolls. In India, cassia is grown in the North-Eastern states and in the evergreen tracts along the high ranges of the Western Ghats. But, the domestic cultivation is not adequate enough to meet the domestic market demand for the product.

Harvesting Season: Mid-September to February

Varieties: Chinese cassia (Cinnamomum cassia), is from Burma and South China, coming in quills or rolled. This variety is also the source of cassia buds.
Indian cassia (Cinnamomum tamala), is native to India where its leaves are also used as an herb (tejpat).
Indonesian cassia (Cinnamomum burmanni), has a smoother bark and double quills. This is usually the cassia that is imported to North America.
Saigon cassia (Cinnamomum loureirii), is native to Indonesia and is also grown in Japan and Korea.
Oliver’s Bark (Cinnamomum oliveri) is an Australian substitute of cassia and cinnamon. Mossoia Bark (Cinnamomum) is an inferior substitute for cassia and cinnamon from Papua New Guinea.

Uses: Cassia and cassia oil comprise largely of cinnamaldehyde and its properties are to those of cinnamon. Cassia is used as a tonic, carminative and stimulant and is used to treat nausea and flatulence. It is used alone or in combination with other herbs to treat diarrhea.