Cinnamon variety · Released variety
Navashree (C. verum)
Also known as IISR Navashree, True cinnamon elite selection
Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR-IISR), Kozhikode, Kerala · ICAR-IISR · 1996
High bark oil (2.7%) with 73% cinnamaldehyde; excellent bark recovery (40.6%); 25+ shoots per plant for multiple harvests. Adopted across all cinnamon-growing zones of India.
Key facts
| Type | Released variety |
|---|---|
| Origin | Indian Institute of Spices Research (ICAR-IISR), Kozhikode, Kerala |
| Breeder / source | ICAR-IISR |
| Year released | 1996 |
| Parentage | Seedling selection from Indian cinnamon collection |
| Yield | 200 kg dry quills/hectare; reported 56 kg/ha in first 4 years |
| Tolerance | No significant pest or disease susceptibility documented; suited to multiple elevations |
| Distinctive features | Purple young leaves turning green in 8-10 days. Quill length 13.4 cm. First harvest at 3 years. Trees maintained at 2-2.5 m height for efficient bark harvesting. |
| Grown in | All major cinnamon areas: Kerala (Kannur, Kottayam, Idukki), Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris, Yercaud), Karnataka |
| Also known as | IISR Navashree, True cinnamon elite selection |
Figures are indicative, compiled from public agricultural sources (ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities, the Spices Board and the National Innovation Foundation) and vary with soil, season and management. Confirm with your local package of practices.
Navashree (C. verum) in detail
Released in 1996 from the Indian Institute of Spices Research, Navashree is a true cinnamon (C. verum) selection from Indian collections, delivering high bark oil (2.7%) with 73% cinnamaldehyde and strong regeneration with 25+ shoots per plant for repeated harvests.
Origin & story
Developed at ICAR-IISR Kozhikode (formerly Calicut) and released in 1996 as a seedling selection from an Indian cinnamon collection. It became an officially released variety and has been adopted across cinnamon-growing zones of India.
How it grows
Grown in India's cinnamon-growing regions across the Western Ghats. Trees are maintained at about 2-2.5 m during their productive life for efficient bark harvesting. Young leaf flushes are purple, turning green in 8-10 days. First harvest comes at around 3 years. The variety has high shoot regeneration, supporting multiple harvests, with a potential of about 200-250 kg dry quills per hectare.
Quality & character
Bark: about 2.7% oil with 73% cinnamaldehyde and a 40.6% recovery rate. Leaves: roughly 13.4 cm long and 4.69 cm broad, with light purple young flushes; leaf oil about 2.8% with 15% cinnamaldehyde. Quill colour and structure typical of C. verum.
Why it matters to buyers
High cinnamaldehyde (73%) and bark oil (2.7%) make Navashree useful for extraction of essential oils and flavourings. The good bark recovery (40.6%) helps the economics for bark processors. Its adoption across Indian cinnamon regions points to reasonably reliable supply for bulk buyers.
About cinnamon
Cinnamon in India spans two botanical worlds: true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), the rare, delicate quill-spice prized for low coumarin and high cinnamaldehyde, thrives in Kerala's Western Ghats from ancient plantings in Kannur and Kottayam; and cassia—Chinese (C. cassia), Indonesian (C. burmannii), Vietnamese (C. loureiroi)—cheaper and peppery, now grown…
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Other cinnamon varieties
- Nithyashree (C. verum)
- YCD-1 (Yercaud cinnamon)
- PPI(C)1 (Pechiparai cinnamon)
- Konkan Tej
- Sugandhini (ODC-130, C. verum)
- True Cinnamon / Cinnamomum verum (botanical type)
- Cassia / Cinnamomum cassia (botanical type)
- Cinnamomum burmannii (Indonesian/Korintje cassia)
- Cinnamomum loureiroi (Saigon cinnamon, Vietnamese cinnamon)
From the Western Ghats
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