This is the dried bark of laurel trees native to Sri Lanka.

Cinnamon bark is widely used as a spice and used as a condiment and as a flavouring material, being largely used in the preparation of some kinds of desserts, chocolate, tea, coffee and liqueurs. In the Middle East, it is often used in savoury dishes of chicken and lamb. In the United States, cinnamon and sugar are often used to flavour cereals, bread-based dishes, and fruits, especially apples; a cinnamon-sugar mixture is even sold separately for such purposes.

Cinnamon can also be used in pickling. Cinnamon bark is one of the few spices which can be consumed directly.