English Name: All spice
Malayalam Name: സർവ്വസുഗന്ധി
Botanical Name: Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr.
Family: Myrtaceae
Flowering & Fruiting: March-June
Description: Medium sized evergreen tree. The West Indies, Mexico, and Central America are home to the plant known as Pimenta dioica, sometimes known as allspice or Jamaica pepper. It is a little evergreen tree that normally reaches heights of 20 to 40 feet. The allspice spice is made from the dried, immature fruits of this tree, which resemble peppercorns and are only about 1/4″ long. For use in cooking, fruits (drupes up to 1/4″ long) are harvested green, dried in the sun, and then stored whole or in powder form. When compared to powders, whole fruits typically last longer and can be freshly ground or crushed. Long (3-6″), oblong, leathery, and fragrant leaves. In some cases, leaves are used in cooking similarly to bay leaves (remove leaves after cooking).In the summer, panicles of creamy white flowers (pyramidal cymes) grow from the higher leaf axils. Male blooms develop into tiny green fruits that eventually turn reddish-brown. The most significant spice in Caribbean cooking is probably allspice. It is employed in pickling, marinades, mole sauces, and Caribbean jerk seasoning. Moreover, it is used to impart spice to meats, stews, and sausages. Pimento dram is a Jamaican liqueur created with allspice that is based on rum. Nowadays, Jamaica is the world’s top exporter of allspice.