PlantFiles: Allspice, Pimento, Jamaica Pepper
Pimenta dioica

10 years ago I purchased an allspice then purchased two more 2 years later to assure I got a male and female. The third year I got fruit from the first tree and no flowers on the others. It appears I have a tree with perfect flowers. Male and Female so I stumped the second two and grafted over to the hermaphrodite. What to do with all these seeds. I have started 30 now about an inch tall. Plan to graft them in a year. To germinate take them out of the fruit and keep them on warm soil (70 to 90 degrees) for a month or two and they will germinate.

I've just posted two images on here, but yet to appear as I post this.
I have a question - see if someone knows.
My plant here does not seem to flower or fruit. Only the leaves are used here. How long does it take to flower? My plant is in its 10th year since I bought a small plant. It is now 10 feet tall and has even withstood 4 transplants due to various reasons.

I recently saw an 8ft.+ tall specimen of this plant and now want to grow it. The plant was on the southside of a large house in Santa Cruz, California. Does anyone know of sources for seed or seedlings of this plant? I work at a community college in the horticulture department. Thanks for your help.

Discovered in Mexico by Spanish explorers, they called it "pimienta", confusing it with black pepper. It is related to the bay rum tree and is is equally aromatic. It is grown in Mexico, Honduras but especially Jamaica, hence the common name Jamaican Allspice. It grows as a small tree, and is a slow grower. Beautiful glossy, leathery leaves, which are very fragrant when crushed.

I have planted mine in part sun, hoping to grow them as large shrubs instead of trees. The online literature says it's hardy in z10-11, I hope a blanket is sufficient protection as I'm in z9. Slow grower.

Did not survive 2010 winter. Perhaps if brought indoors but I already have too many plants to overwintering, so will not replace.

I topped it and trimmed the end of the each stem to get more leaves. I love to crush the leaves... and place in my kitchen for a nice fragrance. The fragrance is addictive such as crushing a leaf in your fingers while watering your plants.

Planted an Allspice today: a strapping 3' sapling. The 'neutral' rating must shift up a notch in due course...