Wild cinnamon originates from South East Asia and is popularly used as an urban landscaping plant due to its hardiness and adaptability. It grows in lowland primary and secondary forests, in coastal forests, near freshwater swamps and along riverbanks. In Kampala, Wild cinnamon can be found along Coral crescent, Lumumba avenue, within Uganda Golf course club, Kitante courts, Makerere II Zone C among other places.

Small to medium sized tree or big shrub, with oval to cylindrical dense crown usually 3 to 5m tall under cultivation and may reach 20 m tall in wild specimens.

BARK: greyish to light brown, slightly flaky.

LEAVES: smooth, glossy, opposite, stalked leaves have leaf blades that are elliptic to lanceolate, about 7.5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. Young leaves bright reddish- orange, aging to pink, pale green and finally dark green of mature leaves.

FLOWERS: powderpuff-like flowers are cream to white in color, borne on a branched inflorescence, up to 4 cm long.

FRUITS: spherical to ellipsoid, dark purple or black berries, about 9 mm wide.

An ornamental tree.

Can be planted as hedges or shaped into topiaries.

Can also be grown as a bonsai plant.