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Herb Full Sun Regular water

Cinnamon

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Tropical tree -- the bark is harvested as the spice. A warmth-loving plant that does best between 24°C and 32°C, cinnamon adapts well to tropical and subtropical conditions but cannot tolerate frost. It needs full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) and regular watering to keep soil consistently moist — leaves are ready for picking in about 730-1095 days. Perfect for container gardens and small spaces — just place it where it gets adequate light and harvest as needed.

Harvest 730-1095 days
Temp Range 15°C — 38°C

Quick Answer: How to Grow Cinnamon

Cinnamon takes 730-1095 days to harvest. It grows best in 24–32°C with full sun and regular watering. Cinnamon is not frost tolerant — wait until after the last frost to plant. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Cinnamon in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Regular
❄️
Frost
Sensitive
📅
Harvest
730-1095 days

Temperature Range

24-32°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 24–32°C Tolerates: 15–38°C
Tropical suitable: Yes
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Grow from cuttings. Strip bark from 2-year-old branches. Wait until soil warms to at least 24°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: 15°C to 38°C
  • Optimal growing: 24°C to 32°C
  • Harvest in 730-1095 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Cinnamon loves the heat! It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates year-round.
  • 🌱 Cinnamon needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

True cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum, also known as Ceylon cinnamon) is a tropical tree from Sri Lanka growing to 10–15m in the wild. In home gardens in zones 10–12, it can be managed as a multi-stem shrub by coppicing. The spice is the inner bark of two-year-old branches. Start from cuttings or purchase a nursery plant; cinnamon is difficult to grow from seed. Plant in well-drained, sandy loam with pH 4.5–6.5 — it tolerates acidic soils well. Full sun is preferred, though young plants benefit from light shade. Water regularly for the first 2 years until established; mature plants are more drought-tolerant. Feed with a balanced slow-release fertilizer in spring. To harvest bark, allow stems to reach 2cm diameter (usually 2 years from coppicing), cut at the base, strip the outer bark with a knife, then peel the inner bark (phloem) in long strips. The strips curl into quills as they dry.

Common Pests & Problems

Leaf spot diseases (Pestalotiopsis cinnamomi and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) cause brown spots with yellow halos on leaves during humid wet seasons — remove affected foliage and improve airflow; copper-based fungicide provides protection. Stem canker (Phytophthora cinnamomi) is a serious disease in warm, wet conditions causing dark cankers that girdle and kill branches — prune out infected material to healthy wood and sterilize tools between cuts. Bark borer beetles (Hypocryphalus mangiferae and related species) tunnel under bark of stressed or damaged trees; maintain plant vigor and avoid wounding the bark.

Harvest & Storage

Harvest bark from 2-year-old stems in the wet season when the bark slides off the wood most easily. Cut stems at the base, scrape off the rough gray outer bark with a cinnamon-peeling knife, then carefully slide the inner bark off in sheets. Roll the sheets into quills and dry in shade for 1–2 days until they curl naturally. Complete drying takes 3–5 days in warm airflow. Store quills in an airtight container for 12–24 months. Ground cinnamon retains flavor for 6 months.

Popular Varieties

"Cinnamomum verum" (Ceylon/True Cinnamon) from Sri Lanka is the gold standard — thin, multi-layered quills, delicate, sweet, complex flavor with low coumarin content; far superior to cassia for culinary use. "Cinnamomum cassia" (Chinese Cassia) is the coarser, darker "cinnamon" most commonly sold in North America — thick single-layer quills, stronger, more pungent flavor, and significantly higher coumarin content. "Cinnamomum burmannii" (Indonesian Cassia) is the cheapest, most widely traded cinnamon-type spice globally — harsh flavor with very high coumarin. "Cinnamomum loureiroi" (Vietnamese Cassia) has the highest essential oil content and most intense "cinnamon" taste.

Where to Grow Cinnamon

Cinnamon can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK hard
Amsterdam, NL hard
Ankara, TR hard
Antalya, TR hard
Athens, GR hard
Barcelona, ES hard
Bari, IT hard
Belgrade, RS hard
Bergen, NO hard
Berlin, DE hard
Bilbao, ES hard
Bologna, IT hard
Bordeaux, FR hard
Bratislava, SK hard
Brussels, BE hard
Bucharest, RO hard
Budapest, HU hard
Catania, IT hard
Cologne, DE hard
Copenhagen, DK hard
Corfu, GR hard
Cork, IE hard
Dublin, IE hard
Dubrovnik, HR hard
Edinburgh, GB hard
Florence, IT hard
Frankfurt, DE hard
Gdansk, PL hard
Genoa, IT hard
Glasgow, GB hard
Gothenburg, SE hard
Hamburg, DE hard
Helsinki, FI hard
Heraklion, GR hard
Istanbul, TR hard
Izmir, TR hard
Krakow, PL hard
Kyiv, UA hard
Limassol, CY hard
Lisbon, PT hard
Ljubljana, SI hard
London, GB hard
Lyon, FR hard
Madrid, ES hard
Malaga, ES hard
Marseille, FR hard
Milan, IT hard
Munich, DE hard
Naples, IT hard
Nice, FR hard
Nicosia, CY hard
Oslo, NO hard
Palermo, IT hard
Paris, FR hard
Porto, PT hard
Poznan, PL hard
Prague, CZ hard
Reykjavik, IS hard
Riga, LV hard
Rome, IT hard
Seville, ES hard
Sofia, BG hard
Split, HR hard
Stockholm, SE hard
Strasbourg, FR hard
Stuttgart, DE hard
Tallinn, EE hard
Thessaloniki, GR hard
Tirana, AL hard
Toulouse, FR hard
Turin, IT hard
Turku, FI hard
Valencia, ES hard
Valletta, MT hard
Verona, IT hard
Vienna, AT hard
Vilnius, LT hard
Warsaw, PL hard
Zagreb, HR hard
Zurich, CH hard

🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN hard
Almaty, KZ hard
Bali, ID hard
Bandung, ID hard
Bangalore, IN hard
Bangkok, TH hard
Beijing, CN hard
Busan, KR hard
Cebu, PH hard
Chandigarh, IN hard
Chengdu, CN hard
Chennai, IN hard
Chiang Mai, TH hard
Chittagong, BD hard
Chongqing, CN hard
Coimbatore, IN hard
Colombo, LK hard
Da Nang, VN hard
Dalian, CN hard
Davao, PH hard
Delhi, IN hard
Dhaka, BD hard
Dharan, NP hard
Fukuoka, JP hard
Galle, LK hard
Guangzhou, CN hard
Hangzhou, CN hard
Hanoi, VN hard
Harbin, CN hard
Ho Chi Minh City, VN hard
Hong Kong, HK hard
Hyderabad, IN hard
Incheon, KR hard
Indore, IN hard
Islamabad, PK hard
Jaipur, IN hard
Jakarta, ID hard
Jeju, KR hard
Johor Bahru, MY hard
Karachi, PK hard
Kathmandu, NP hard
Kochi, IN hard
Kolkata, IN hard
Kuala Lumpur, MY hard
Kunming, CN hard
Kyoto, JP hard
Lahore, PK hard
Lucknow, IN hard
Manila, PH hard
Mumbai, IN hard
Nagoya, JP hard
Nanjing, CN hard
Nha Trang, VN hard
Okinawa, JP hard
Osaka, JP hard
Pattaya, TH hard
Penang, MY hard
Phnom Penh, KH hard
Pune, IN hard
Sapporo, JP hard
Seoul, KR hard
Shanghai, CN hard
Shenzhen, CN hard
Siem Reap, KH hard
Singapore, SG hard
Surabaya, ID hard
Surat, IN hard
Taipei, TW hard
Tashkent, UZ hard
Tbilisi, GE hard
Tokyo, JP hard
Ulaanbaatar, MN hard
Varanasi, IN hard
Vientiane, LA hard
Visakhapatnam, IN hard
Wuhan, CN hard
Xi'an, CN hard
Xiamen, CN hard
Yangon, MM hard

🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US hard
Anchorage, US hard
Atlanta, US hard
Austin, US hard
Baltimore, US hard
Baton Rouge, US hard
Boise, US hard
Boston, US hard
Bridgetown, BB hard
Buffalo, US hard
Calgary, CA hard
Cancun, MX hard
Charleston, US hard
Charlotte, US hard
Chattanooga, US hard
Chicago, US hard
Denver, US hard
Des Moines, US hard
Detroit, US hard
Edmonton, CA hard
El Paso, US hard
Fargo, US hard
Fresno, US hard
Guadalajara, MX hard
Halifax, CA hard
Hartford, US hard
Havana, CU hard
Honolulu, US hard
Houston, US hard
Jacksonville, US hard
Kansas City, US hard
Kingston, JM hard
Knoxville, US hard
Las Vegas, US hard
Little Rock, US hard
Los Angeles, US hard
Louisville, US hard
Lubbock, US hard
Madison, US hard
Memphis, US hard
Mexico City, MX hard
Miami, US hard
Milwaukee, US hard
Minneapolis, US hard
Monterrey, MX hard
Montreal, CA hard
Nashville, US hard
New Orleans, US hard
New York, US hard
Oaxaca, MX hard
Oklahoma City, US hard
Omaha, US hard
Ottawa, CA hard
Panama City, PA hard
Phoenix, US hard
Pittsburgh, US hard
Portland, US hard
Puebla, MX hard
Quebec City, CA hard
Raleigh, US hard
Richmond, US hard
Sacramento, US hard
Salt Lake City, US hard
San Diego, US hard
San Francisco, US hard
San Jose, CR hard
Santo Domingo, DO hard
Saskatoon, CA hard
Savannah, US hard
Seattle, US hard
Spokane, US hard
St. Louis, US hard
Tampa, US hard
Toronto, CA hard
Tucson, US hard
Vancouver, CA hard
Victoria, CA hard
Winnipeg, CA hard

🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI hard
Accra, GH hard
Addis Ababa, ET hard
Algiers, DZ hard
Antananarivo, MG hard
Arusha, TZ hard
Bamako, ML hard
Bloemfontein, ZA hard
Cairo, EG hard
Cape Town, ZA hard
Casablanca, MA hard
Dakar, SN hard
Dar es Salaam, TZ hard
Douala, CM hard
Durban, ZA hard
Entebbe, UG hard
Fez, MA hard
Freetown, SL hard
Harare, ZW hard
Johannesburg, ZA hard
Kampala, UG hard
Kigali, RW hard
Kinshasa, CD hard
Lagos, NG hard
Libreville, GA hard
Lilongwe, MW hard
Lome, TG hard
Luanda, AO hard
Lusaka, ZM hard
Maputo, MZ hard
Marrakech, MA hard
Mombasa, KE hard
Nairobi, KE hard
Ouagadougou, BF hard
Port Louis, MU hard
Pretoria, ZA hard
Tunis, TN hard
Windhoek, NA hard
Zanzibar, TZ hard

🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE hard
Asuncion, PY hard
Barranquilla, CO hard
Belem, BR hard
Bogota, CO hard
Brasilia, BR hard
Buenos Aires, AR hard
Cali, CO hard
Campinas, BR hard
Caracas, VE hard
Cartagena, CO hard
Concepcion, CL hard
Cordoba, AR hard
Curitiba, BR hard
Cusco, PE hard
Fortaleza, BR hard
Georgetown, GY hard
Goiania, BR hard
Guayaquil, EC hard
La Paz, BO hard
Lima, PE hard
Manaus, BR hard
Medellin, CO hard
Mendoza, AR hard
Montevideo, UY hard
Paramaribo, SR hard
Port of Spain, TT hard
Porto Alegre, BR hard
Quito, EC hard
Recife, BR hard
Rio de Janeiro, BR hard
Rosario, AR hard
Salvador, BR hard
Santa Cruz, BO hard
Santiago, CL hard
Sao Paulo, BR hard
Sucre, BO hard
Trujillo, PE hard
Valparaiso, CL hard

🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU hard
Alice Springs, AU hard
Auckland, NZ hard
Brisbane, AU hard
Cairns, AU hard
Canberra, AU hard
Christchurch, NZ hard
Darwin, AU hard
Dunedin, NZ hard
Gold Coast, AU hard
Hamilton, NZ hard
Hobart, AU hard
Melbourne, AU hard
Noumea, NC hard
Perth, AU hard
Suva, FJ hard
Sydney, AU hard
Townsville, AU hard
Wellington, NZ hard

🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE hard
Amman, JO hard
Baghdad, IQ hard
Beirut, LB hard
Doha, QA hard
Dubai, AE hard
Erbil, IQ hard
Jeddah, SA hard
Kuwait City, KW hard
Manama, BH hard
Muscat, OM hard
Riyadh, SA hard
Sana'a, YE hard
Tabriz, IR hard
Tehran, IR hard
Tel Aviv, IL hard

When should I plant cinnamon in my city?

The best time to plant cinnamon depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 24°C and 32°C. Wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow cinnamon in winter?

Cinnamon is not frost tolerant and cannot survive winter outdoors in most temperate climates. In tropical areas (USDA Zones 10+), it may grow year-round.

Get Cinnamon Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Cinnamon seeds and starter plants online.

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Similar Growing Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions about Cinnamon

When should I plant cinnamon?

The best time to plant cinnamon depends on your local climate. Cinnamon grows best in temperatures between 24°C and 32°C (can tolerate 15°C to 38°C). Cinnamon is not frost tolerant, so wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can cinnamon grow in tropical climates?

Yes! Cinnamon can grow in tropical climates. It's successfully grown in tropical cities like Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Accra. Cinnamon requires full sun and regular watering.

How long does cinnamon take to grow?

Cinnamon typically takes 730-1095 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and regular watering. Grow from cuttings. Strip bark from 2-year-old branches. Wait until soil warms to at least 24°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, adjusting for rainfall. Organic mulch around the base helps maintain even moisture.

Find the Best Time to Plant Cinnamon

See the planting calendar for Cinnamon in these popular cities:

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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