The fragrant cinnamon scent of Tra My

Cinnamon has transcended its geographical boundaries, becoming a rare and precious medicinal herb, classified among the four most valuable herbs: ginseng, deer antler, cinnamon, and rehmannia. Cinnamon is a medicine with yang properties, nourishing and treating diseases of the digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems.

Since ancient times, people have known how to use this plant to treat diseases. With the development of science , cinnamon has been used in the pharmaceutical industry, food processing, flavoring, and animal husbandry. The world knows cinnamon as a specialty, a rare and precious medicinal herb. Through hundreds of years of experience from traditional medicine practitioners and scientists, cinnamon trees growing in the Tra My and Tien Phuoc regions of Quang Nam province have been confirmed and recognized as having superior properties compared to cinnamon from other regions, and are given the very noble name: "High Mountain Jade Cinnamon".

In addition to its economic benefits, cinnamon trees contribute to environmental protection, increasing forest cover, conserving soil and water in hilly and mountainous areas, and preserving and developing the diversity of valuable native plant genetic resources. Cinnamon trees also contribute to settled farming and settlement, poverty reduction, and job creation for farmers in mountainous regions of Vietnam.

During the years 1980-1985, the native cinnamon trees of Tra My yielded very high profits, with 1 kg of dried cinnamon costing about one tael of gold. However, from 1985 to the present, many units have been cultivating Northern cinnamon trees (a variety imported from the North to Quang Nam ) and selling them to the people, causing a decline in the quality of the cinnamon trees and affecting the brand of the original cinnamon... The high price paid by the cinnamon-growing region is that the reputation and value of Tra My cinnamon are no longer properly valued and preserved. As a consequence, many areas of native cinnamon have given way to lower-quality varieties from outside. The value of Tra My cinnamon has not been properly appreciated, confused with many other types of cinnamon on the market; cinnamon prices have fallen, and the lives of cinnamon growers have become more difficult.

In response to this situation, in October 2011, the Intellectual Property Office granted a Certificate of Geographical Indication Registration for "Tra My" cinnamon (Quang Nam province). This was welcome news for cinnamon growers, creating favorable conditions for them to promote their traditional crop, which has brought significant economic benefits to the local people for generations, to the international community. Now, the people of Tra My can be proud of their unique local product.

The cinnamon tree in Trà My originates from wild cinnamon trees in the forest. Long ago, the Ca-Dong and Mơ Nông ethnic groups brought them to cultivate in their home gardens. Initially, each family had only a few trees, but this later developed into cinnamon orchards, hills, and forests. It takes 7-8 years for the cinnamon tree to flower and bear fruit. All parts of the cinnamon tree, such as the bark, leaves, flowers, wood, and roots, contain essential oils, with the bark having the highest concentration, sometimes reaching 6-8%.

Cinnamon is a valuable medicinal resource with effects that stimulate blood circulation, cause vasoconstriction, increase secretion, cause uterine contractions, disinfect, treat abdominal pain, etc., and is used to treat arthritis, diabetes, lower cholesterol, headaches, colds, coughs, sore throats, and tooth decay.

Cinnamon essential oil is also used to massage painful and bruised areas caused by injuries, and to relieve symptoms of colds. According to folk remedies of the Co, Ca-Dong, and Xe-Dang ethnic groups in Tra My, when suffering from common ailments such as colds, headaches, and wind-related illnesses, grinding cinnamon bark in water and drinking it helps alleviate symptoms. In addition, cinnamon is used as a spice to marinate or blend into dishes, ice cream, cakes, etc.