Cinnamomum cassia elongated leaves that are long and have a decidedly reddish colour when young. Chinese cassia is a close relative to Ceylon cinnamon ("C. verum"), Saigon cinnamon ("C. loureiroi"), also known as "Vietnamese cinnamon", Indonesian cinnamon ("C. burmannii"), also called "korintje", and Malabar cinnamon ("C. citriodorum") from Sri Lanka. In all five species, the dried bark is used as a spice. Chinese cassia's flavour is less delicate than that of Ceylon cinnamon. Its bark is thicker, more difficult to crush, and has a rougher texture than that of Ceylon cinnamon. Most of the spice sold as cinnamon in the United States,
Spice Spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring, coloring or preserving food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Many spices have antimicrobial properties. This may explain why spices are more commonly used in warmer climates, which have more infectious diseases, and why the use of spices is prominent in meat, which is particularly susceptible to spoiling. Spices are sometimes used in medicine, religious rituals, cosmetics or perfume production. The spice trade developed throughout South Asia and