If you guessed B. The inner bark, you got it! 🎉
Cinnamon might be sitting in almost every spice cabinet, but where it actually comes from is a little surprising.
The cinnamon we use as a spice comes from the inner bark of cinnamon trees.
And those familiar cinnamon sticks? Their curled shape actually comes from what happens to the bark as it dries.
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So, How Does Tree Bark Become Cinnamon?
Cinnamon trees belong to the Cinnamomum genus. To make cinnamon, sections of the tree are harvested and the outer bark is removed to reveal the inner bark underneath.
That inner bark is then carefully removed and dried.
As it dries, the bark naturally curls into the rolls we recognize as cinnamon sticks, sometimes called quills.
Those dried pieces can be kept whole or ground into the familiar cinnamon powder found in your pantry.
Cinnamon Tree → Bark Harvested → Inner Bark → Dried & Curled → Ground Cinnamon
Cinnamon Sticks vs. Ground Cinnamon
They actually start with the same part of the tree.
Cinnamon sticks are pieces of dried cinnamon bark that have curled as they dry.
Ground cinnamon is made by grinding dried cinnamon bark into a fine powder.
So whether you're adding a cinnamon stick to a warm drink or sprinkling ground cinnamon into oatmeal, you're using the bark of a tree.
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Does Cinnamon Come From Just One Type of Tree?
Not exactly.
There are several species of cinnamon trees, and different varieties of cinnamon are produced around the world. Two names you may commonly encounter are Ceylon cinnamon and cassia cinnamon.
While they can differ in flavor, appearance, and where they're grown, both come from the bark of trees in the Cinnamomum genus.
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What Does Cinnamon Taste Like?
Cinnamon is known for its warm, sweet, and slightly woody flavor.
Despite its naturally sweet aroma, cinnamon itself doesn't contain added sugar. That distinctive flavor makes it useful in both sweet and savory recipes.
Try it in:
- Oatmeal and overnight oats
- Baked goods
- Granola
- Smoothies
- Coffee and tea
- Rice dishes
- Spice blends
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One Spice, One Surprisingly Simple Origin
So the next time you reach for cinnamon, remember what you're actually sprinkling onto your food: dried and ground tree bark.
It’s one of those everyday pantry ingredients with a much more interesting story than you might expect.
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Explore Organic Ground Cinnamon
This Organic Ground Cinnamon makes it easy to add cinnamon's warm, familiar flavor to oatmeal, baked goods, drinks, spice blends, and everyday recipes.
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- SunOrganic Farm
