Latin name - Pimenta dioica

Allspice, also known as the Pimenta tree, is the source of a common dried spice that you probably have in your kitchen cabinet.  The tree comes from the Caribbean and tropical America.  It’s a beautiful evergreen with an upright shape and glossy green leaves.  The leaves and stems are very fragrant and commonly used in soups, stews, sauces and marinades, especially in traditional Jamaican cooking.  Fresh Allspice leaves and branches are an essential ingredient in jerk dishes.  The true source of the powdered Allspice available in grocery stores is actually the dried berries of the Allspice tree, ground into a powder.

The tree can grow up to 30 feet, but the tallest Allspice specimens we’ve seen have only been about 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide.  They grow best in full sun, in fertile, well-drained soil.  Allspice is dioecious, meaning that there are separate male and female trees which cross pollinate in order to form berries and seed.  We very much enjoy growing Allspice trees, not only for their fragrance and culinary use, but also for their beauty and unique appeal as a specimen in a landscape.

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Size: 15-20 ft

Sun Requirements: Full sun

Cold Hardy: Damage at 32 degrees

Harvest Season:  Year-round

Watering requirements: Enjoys water, can withstand short dry periods, best with irrigation.

Food Forest Layer: Canopy, Understory