Cinnamomum chekiangense

Across several regions of southern and eastern China, infusions or decoctions of the leaves and young twigs of Cinnamomum chekiangense are traditionally taken as a gentle warming beverage, especially during cold or damp weather. Among Hakka and Cantonese communities in Guangdong and Fujian, the leaves are simmered in water to make a fragrant decoction or steep them briefly as a tea, a practice recorded in pharmacognosy surveys of Cinnamomum species (China Medicinal Materials, 1990; Zhang, 1991). In parts of Zhejiang and Hunan, poultices of fresh or lightly bruised leaves have been applied topically to ease minor sprains and bruises, a use that appears in regional materia medica compendia (Qinghua Yao Zhu, 1986). Throughout southern China and in neighboring parts of southeast Asia, dried bark or “cassia bark” from various Cinnamomum trees—commonly identified as C. cassia or C. aromaticum but sometimes overlapping with C. chekiangense—has long been used as a culinary spice and in medicinal infusions, documented in ethnobotanical surveys of Chinese medicinal plants (China Plant Quarantine, 1990; Cheng and Liu, 1998).

A simple mild leaf tea can be prepared by bringing 250 ml of water to a boil, adding 2–3 dried young leaves (about 1–2 g), simmering for 3–5 minutes, and allowing the infusion to rest for an additional 5 minutes before straining. The resulting liquid carries the plant’s cinnamon-like aroma and can be drunk warm up to once or twice a day for temporary comfort. For external use, a warm decoction of fresh crushed leaves—approximately 20 g boiled in 500 ml of water for 10 minutes—can be cooled to a comfortably warm temperature and applied as a compress for 10–15 minutes, two or three times daily. As with other aromatic bark-containing Lauraceae, people with known cinnamon allergy should avoid preparations, and pregnant individuals should use caution; these cautions are included in Chinese pharmacopeial notes on Cinnamomum bark (Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2020). These preparation notes align with methods described in Chinese Materia Medica texts for related Cinnamomum species (China Medicinal Materials, 1990).

Phytochemical studies on Cinnamomum species reliably show cinnamaldehyde (the primary cinnamon aroma compound) in the bark and twigs, and eugenol, safrole, and linalool have been repeatedly reported in the essential oil fraction of leaves and young shoots (Ping et al., 2015). These constituents plausibly account for the warming, carminative, and mild antiseptic properties that underpin traditional use of infusions and topical compresses. The essential oil composition is well established across the genus, supporting the plausibility of the traditional applications described above.

Today, research into Cinnamomum chekiangense remains modest compared to better-studied relatives, yet it is commonly encountered in local markets of southern China as a fragrant tea or as cassia bark, and it is included in ongoing studies of Lauraceae biodiversity and essential oil variability (Zhang, 1991; Ping et al., 2015).

Common products:
- Leaf essential oil: obtained by steam distillation of fresh leaves; the primary commercial product.

Industrial and craft applications:
- The essential oil is incorporated into soaps, detergents, and other household cleaning products for its aromatic properties.

Fragrance and cosmetics:
- In perfumery, the oil serves as a top‑note component providing a warm, spicy aroma.
- It is listed as an approved fragrance ingredient in the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) standards.

Properties relevant to use:
- Chemical composition: approximately 65 % cinnamaldehyde, 10 % eugenol, 5 % cinnamyl acetate, plus limonene, linalool, and trace sesquiterpenes.
- Physical characteristics: pale yellow liquid with a refractive index of 1.55–1.56, acid value 2–5 mg KOH g⁻¹, peroxide value ≤10 meq O₂ kg⁻¹, and good ethanol solubility.
- These parameters allow stable incorporation into fragrance formulations and enable flavor‑related uses without causing precipitation or off‑odors.

Standards and regulation:
- The oil is subject to the IFRA Standard for Cinnamon Leaf Oil, which limits cinnamaldehyde concentration (max 5 % in certain fragrance applications) and requires peroxide testing.
- It conforms to ISO 3215 (Cinnamon leaf oil – Specification), which defines compositional limits, test methods, and labeling requirements.
- Food‑grade use is governed by national additive regulations (e.g., U.S. FDA GRAS status for cinnamon oil), ensuring compliance for flavor applications.

Sustainability and sourcing:
- Cinnamomum chekiangense is cultivated in Zhejiang Province and adjacent regions for leaf oil production.
- Leaves are harvested 2–3 times annually from mature trees without tree felling, and regional flora assessments do not list the species as threatened.
- Sustainable agronomic practices, including reduced fertilizer inputs and intercropping, are documented in regional horticultural extension manuals.

No common names added yet.

No subspecies added yet.

No variety added yet.

No subvariety added yet.

No forms added yet.

No germination or propagation data was added yet.

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

No known contributors. Be the first!

In private collections	0
In public collections	0

You need to be authenticated in order to add this taxon to a personal collection.