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Madagascar is one of few countries outside of Sri Lanka where Ceylon cinnamon grows. The cinnamon tree belongs to the ''Lauraceae'' family of plants which is native to Sri Lanka. Its botanical names include ''Cinnamomum Zeylanicum'' or and ''Cinnamomum verum'', the latter meaning ''true cinnamon'' in Latin. The plant was probably introduced to Madagascar in ancient times by sailors crossing the Indian Ocean on their trading routes. Madagascar and Ceylon cinnamon alike are often referred to as gourmet cinnamon.

The export of Madagascar cinnamon was temporarily paused in the mid -1990s due to over -harvesting by which the complete stems and roots were removed. As farmers have since been tought taught sustainable cinnamon farming methods, not to harvest the complete tree with its roots, enough cinnamom cinnamon trees have recovered and the export ban was lifted and production and export resumed. In 2011, Madagascar produced 2,300 metric tons of cinnamon, approximately 1.1% of the world production. While cinnamon grows in many areas in Madagascar, the most producing regions are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atsinanana Atsinanana] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analanjirofo Analanjirofo].

Madagascar and Ceylon cinnamon grows best in sandy soil, where has the tree can grow up lowest amount of coumarin contents compared to 15 metres in its natural stateother cinnamons. Coumarin is a slightly toxic substance, but which is cut earlier for harvestingbest avoided if taking cinnamon as a health supplement, in teas etc. Harvesting Cinnamon is usually done after the rainy season while the bark is moist used in a wide variety of traditional medicines, and rich of course in cooking, especially in flavour desserts, cinnamon rolls, muffins and essential oilscountless other sweets, as well as with coffee, chocolate, rum etc. Only the inner bark of the tree Additionally, cinnamon is used for the spicein essential oils and perfumes.

Madagascarand Ceylon cinnamon alike should not be mixed up with Cassia, scientifically named ''Cinnamomum aromaticum''s and Ceylon commonly known as Chinese cinnamon has . It is easy to tell the lowest amount of coumarin contents compared to other cinnamonsdifference between Ceylon/Madagascar and Chinese varieties. Coumarin Madagascar cinnamon is a slightly toxic substancesweet, citrusy and delicate in flavour compared with Chinese Cassia cinnamon, which is best avoided if taking cinnamon as a health supplementstronger, in teas etcmore intense and slightly bitter. Cinnamon The bark of Cassia is also strong and rough while Madagascar cinnamon is used in a wide variety of traditional medicines, smooth and of course paler in cooking, especially in dessertscolour, crumbly (easy to break). Madagascar/Ceylon cinnamon rollsup like a newspaper from one side, muffins and countless other sweets, as well as with coffee, chocolate, rhum etc. Additionally, whereas Cassia cinnamon is used in essectial oils perfumesusually curls inwards from two sides forming a hollow tube.

Madagascar's and Ceylon cinnamon alike should not be mixed up with Cassia, scientifically named Cinnamomum aromaticum and commonly known as Chinese cinnamon. It is easy to tell the difference between Ceylon/Madagascar and Chinese varieties. Madagascar cinnamon is sweet, citrusy and delicate in flavour compared with Chinese Cassia cinnamon, which is stronger, more intense and slightly bitter. The bark of Cassia is also strong and rough while Madagascar cinnamon is smooth and paler in colour, crumbly (easy to break). Madagascar/Ceylon cinnamon rolls up like a newspaper from one side, whereas Cassia cinnamon usually curls inwards from two sides forming a hollow tube. There are many other types of cinnamon but only four commercial types: In addition to Ceylon and Cassia, there are also Saigon and Korintje, however, the latter two are also classified as Cassia. Additionally, there is Mexican cinnamon, but which is , in fact , Ceylon or the Madagascar variety. Mexican cinnamon has only gained its name because of Mexico imports importing so much of it. To add to the confusion, additional names for Ceylon/Madagascar cinnamon is Real Cinnamon, True Cinnamon, Dutch Cinnamon and Sweet Cinnamon.