Cinnamon as an orchid fungicide - Science or Nonsense

[K-Sci]

The mainstream media, political parties, health food "experts' and and horticulture fanatics, are prone to starting and perpetuating fiction calling it science. Therefore, this question: Does anyone know of peer reviewed research where cinnamon was demonstrated to be effective as a plant fungicide?

-Keith

[TZ-Someplace]

I think it might be like my mother vehemently saving her teabags and once a week egg shell to augment our half acre of garden soil. My cinnamon is usually too old to trust anyway, but I do want to see if there is any scientific evidence. I was wrong on the ice cube thing.

[SouthPark]

There are certainly articles out there relating to studies of anti-fungal properties - such as LINK

But - as for orchids ------ I think they just use cinnamon for drying portions of orchid stems/bulbs that have been cut (or operated on). Just for drying out maybe. I don't use cinnamon myself. But I guess ----- if it does help with drying out of cuts on plants, then that's good.

As for a natural fungicide ----- pretty sure that we would all be using cinnamon if it was known to be really effective for various sorts of orchid fungal issues. But ------ it looks like that hasn't ever happened.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

There are certainly articles out there relating to studies of anti-fungal properties - such as LINK

Hey, SP, I knew I could count on you to do some research. You were more successful at finding papers that I was. Here's the conclusion of the paper you linked.

"The results showed that the antifungal activity of clove extract was stronger than that of the cinnamon extract at lower concentrations. Infection of grey mould on detached strawberry leaves was suppressed by the application of clove oil at the highest investigated concentration. The cinnamon extract was not that effective at inhibiting the spread of grey mould on strawberry leaves."

It is noteworthy that what was tested was extract, a concentrated form, rather than the powered cinnamomum tree bark sold as a spice. The essential oil that would be extracted is only 0.5 to 1% of the bark.

But - as for orchids ------ I think they just use cinnamon for drying portions of orchid stems/bulbs that have been cut (or operated on). Just for drying out maybe. I don't use cinnamon myself. But I guess ----- if it does help with drying out of cuts on plants, then that's good.

Possibly, but the drying effect is a property of sawdust in general.

As for a natural fungicide ----- pretty sure that we would all be using cinnamon if it was known to be really effective for various sorts of orchid fungal issues. But ------ it looks like that hasn't ever happened.

Don't get me wrong, I love cinnamon. If a recipe calls for a tsp (5ml) I add a TBS (15ml) or more. I do the same with chocolate (yesterday I made a pound cake with 1/2 lb chocolate bars, 8 oz. of chocolate syrup and 1/3 cup of coco).

What worries me about unproven fad remedies is that people will use them instead of something that is proven effective - with the outcome that they lose their patient. I dust all orchid tissue cuts with Thiomyl systemic fungicide on a sterile Q-tip, for example.

-Keith

---------- Post added at 03:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:07 AM ----------

Originally Posted by TZ-Someplace

I think it might be like my mother vehemently saving her teabags and once a week egg shell to augment our half acre of garden soil. My cinnamon is usually too old to trust anyway, but I do want to see if there is any scientific evidence. I was wrong on the ice cube thing.

Good analogy with the teabags and egg shells. Speaking of food, I bet vanilla treated with cinnamon would be delicious.

Thanks for your post!

-Keith

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by K-Sci

Possibly, but the drying effect is a property of sawdust in general.

Absolutely KS. I also think that sawdust could be workable for that too. For dealing with fungal attacks on orchids ...... I haven't yet heard or seen professional growers such as orchid nursery growers recommending cinnamon for treatment. And the professional growers seem to establish growing environments that really cuts down on fungal issues ..... maybe even avoids the issues. But .... certainly ..... the commercially available products exist ... and are my first choice items if ever needed.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by K-Sci

I dust all orchid tissue cuts with Thiomyl systemic fungicide on a sterile Q-tip, for example.

Why would you do that when many infections are bacterial? That probably wouldn’t pass “peer review.”

I think cinnamon bark powder is primarily a desiccant (and far better than sawdust), but the bactericidal and fungicidal properties certainly cannot hurt anything.

When extracted in water or alcohol, cinnamaldehyde is present, which is well-established as a mild bactericide and fungicide.

If you want something more powerful, look into cinnamon leaf oil. (It is available from cinnamonvogue.com) It contains the much more powerful eugenol, which has proven to have antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and antineoplasticity properties, according to the NIH.

I once contracted a toenail fungal infection, and my doctor, dermatologist, and brother-in-law (also a Dr.) all talked about the difficulty in curing such infections, how the medications for it tend to be toxic to the liver, and the only known “safe” remedies are stuff like soaking your feet in vinegar, and/or painting the nail with Vick’s VapoRub, neither of which is quickly effective.

I used a q-tip to “paint” the nail and cuticle with cinnamon leaf oil, covering with a bandaid, and within 6 weeks the infection was gone. It takes about a year for the damaged nail to be replaced, but there was a sharp delineation between the new-, and damaged tissue. That dermatologist now recommends it routinely.

[Shadeflower]

I've heard the antifungal properties are so minimal in the stuff you buy in supermarkets.
Just what I have heard though which makes sense.
When I use black pepper extract I wouldn't go trying to eat 10,000 peppercorns instead..

Anyway I use charcoal powder to dry my cuts...

I've used gentian violet for its antibacterial properties lots.

It's something a grower once told me about. Now bear in mind it has not been mentioned on Orchidboard in the past 8 years!!! (I checked) so that is an ultra secret old fashioned rememdy.

Been using it for years, is more safe than peroxide but it is just another home-remedy over getting a proper antifungal designed for plants.

[SADE2020]

I use cinnamon as a super drying agent for cuts and wounds. The powder directly.

For strange stains or as a spot treatment, I make a paste with Vaseline, cinnamon, algae extract and a drop of MANDIPROPAMID (mandelic acid). (recipe from a biologist friend).

This works extremely well for me, so I don't even question anything else.

Sorry I don’t have any other "case study" than my own experiences...hahahaha

[isurus79]

What an interesting thread! I used to use cinnamon on my orchid cuts, but now I just the plant stay dry for a day or two and they seem to heal on their own. No need for treatment of any type in my conditions.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by isurus79

What an interesting thread! I used to use cinnamon on my orchid cuts, but now I just the plant stay dry for a day or two and they seem to heal on their own. No need for treatment of any type in my conditions.

Honestly, the cuts I worry about most are those near or below the media, especially for orchids prone to rapid collapse due to stem rot such as C. dowiana and dowiana hybrids such as C. Williette Wong, and C. Toshi Aoki.
-Keith