CANELO  DRIMYS WINTERI

Canelo is the sacred tree of the Mapuches to which they attribute special properties. Popular belief says that it should be planted in the garden of a new couple to bring them happiness. This tree has great ornamental value, especially for its foliage, which has silvery tones, in addition to its fragrant white flowers and its fruits, which are elongated violet-black berries. Its trunk, which is straight and cylindrical, can reach 25 m in height and up to 1 m in diameter in its adult tree form, but in the central zone it grows as a bush made up of several stems.  

The bark of the trunk is smooth and light grey, thick and soft. The branches are thin and reddish at the end. Its leaves are perennial, entire, petiolate, oblong, pale green on the upper side and bluish glaucous on the underside. They are 5 to 14 cm long and 4 cm wide. The white flowers are arranged in umbels at the ends of the twigs and bloom in spring. Canelo grows fast, especially in very humid places, and tolerates training and cleaning pruning very well.

Cinnamon wood is very attractive, which is why it is used in construction, furniture and the manufacture of musical instruments. It does not serve as fuel, since burning produces pungent smoke. In the past, cinnamon was exported in large quantities, since its bark was used to combat scurvy, as it is rich in vitamin C. It also contains tannins, essential oils, antibacterial substances, and iron and calcium salts. It is used in applications to clean wounds and against rheumatism, stomach ailments, sore throats, scabies and ringworm.