Cinnamon Bark is a slow growing Florida native with beautiful and unusual clusters of red flowers. The flowers are fragrant as well as the leaves, which have a spicy aroma. Cinnamon Bark is a great option for a small tree but can also be grown as a bush. It gets bright red berries and is moderately salt tolerant.
How to care for Wild Cinnamon Bark
Light. Full sun to light shade.
Water. Water regularly while it establishes. It prefers moist soil and handles only short dry periods once established.
Soil and feeding. It wants moist, well-drained limestone or sandy soil with a humus layer. High-pH soil suits it. It survives poor soil but needs some organic matter to thrive.
Size. Expect 5–12 ft for many years, since it grows slowly. Mature trees typically reach 15–20 ft, rarely about 30 ft.
Good to know. A Florida native of Keys and Miami-Dade coastal hammocks, listed as endangered in Florida. It takes salty wind but not direct salt spray. Hummingbirds and butterflies visit the flowers, and birds eat the fruit. The outer bark is toxic.
Sources: Natives for Your Neighborhood (Institute for Regional Conservation): Canella winterana · Florida Native Plant Society Plant Database: Canella winterana
