Allspice (Pimenta dioica)

The allspice tree produces both edible seeds used as spices, and leaves to add flavor to your dishes when fresh. Our guide shares more!

I. Appearance and Characteristics

Allspice, also known as Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, or pimento, is the dried unripe berry of Pimenta dioica, a midcanopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, now cultivated in many warm parts of the world. The name allspice was coined as early as 1621 by the English, who valued it as a spice that combined the flavours of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a mixture of spices.

Several unrelated fragrant shrubs are called “Carolina allspice” (Calycanthus floridus), “Japanese allspice” (Chimonanthus praecox), or “wild allspice” (Lindera benzoin).

Pimenta dioica is a tropical, ornamental, evergreen shrub in the myrtle family that grows up to 59 feet tall. The tree’s bark is white-grey and peels in sheets like that of birch trees. The root system is deep and spreads wide. Allspice leaves are dark green, oblong, and leathery, and they are high in aromatic content. In mid-summer, the trees grow small white flowers on pyramidal stems that produce pea-sized green berries.

Allspice trees are either male or female, and growers should encourage cross-pollination to produce berries. These clustered berries are removed when they’re still green for access to the delicious allspice flavor. They are then sun-dried on concrete until they are dark red and ground into allspice. It takes roughly 3 to 5 months for berries to form after the trees are pollinated.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight and Temperature

Allspice needs full sunlight to partial shade, with at least 6 hours of full morning light per day. Established trees will do just fine in shadier spots, but young trees need full daytime sun. Hard afternoon light can singe the foliage, so be sure to shade the tree in the afternoon. Allspice is hardy in zones 10 and 11, where temperature ranges do not dip below 40 degrees Fahrenheit often.

Established trees will survive snap freezes down to 26 degrees. In areas outside its hardiness range, grow the trees in containers and bring them in or put them in a climate-controlled greenhouse when temperatures are consistently below 40 degrees. Too much exposure to cold damages the tree and eventually kills it.

Watering

Native to the lush, tropical climates of the Caribbean, allspice thrives in environments that mimic its humid origins. This species is moderately drought-tolerant but favors consistent moisture to reflect its rainforest habitat. Watering should be adjusted to once every 1-2 weeks, ensuring a balance between hydration and drainage. Typically grown outdoors due to its size and preference for warm climates, allspice benefits from mulching to retain soil moisture during dry spells, particularly important for this evergreen plant that relies on year-round water availability.

Soil

Allspice prefers well-draining average media of almost any type. In its native range the plants grow in many different types of land. If you live somewhere with compacted soil, amend it before you plant your tree with average garden media and agricultural sand. Use the same standard for containers in the garden. The optimal pH to grow allspice is 6.1 to 7.8.

Fertilizing

For optimal growth, allspice benefits from balanced nutrition fertilizers, rich in NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). During the active growing season, spring through summer, fertilize allspice every 4-6 weeks with 1/2 strength recommended dosage. In autumn and winter, reduce to bi-monthly as growth slows. Over-fertilization can damage allspice, so avoid excess and use water-soluble types to prevent root burn. Adjust quantities according to plant size and soil fertility, observing allspice’s response for a tailored approach.

Planting Instructions

To encourage cross-pollination, acquire two allspice saplings – one male, one female – from a nursery. In tropical areas in early fall after the first rain, find a spot in your garden that has loose, well-draining soil. Ensure there area gets full sunlight for at least 40% of the day, but shade the trees in the late afternoon. Space them at least 30 feet apart, or grow allspice in containers, like the expertly-designed Air Pots we sell in our store. Grow allspice in a clay container to keep the root system healthy. Plant new trees out of cold and wind.

If you live in tropical areas, grow trees in the ground. Dig a hole 2 times wider than each tree’s root ball, and just slightly deeper than the nursery pot. Remove them from the nursery pot, and place their root system in the hole. Then add water, filling the hole slightly. Finally, add well-moistened soil and mound it up around the base of the trees. Spread mulch as the base of your pimenta plant.

If you have a source for allspice berries, remove the berry husk, and extract the seeds. Soak them in water for 24 hours, and plant them in well-moistened soil. They’ll sprout within 6 weeks. Fertilize each of the trees and either plant them in large containers when they’re mature or plant them in the ground. Follow the same steps for planting young trees in containers as you would for planting them in the ground.

Pruning

In spring and summer, after 3 years of growth, prune allspice trees either to maintain shape or keep it small if you’re growing indoors. The tree can be pruned from the base up to give it a bushier appearance. Remove any low-lying branches to give the canopy a more conical look. Remove branches that are damaged or cross one another to give allspice the room it needs to grow. Allspice will not lose its leaves in winter, and fruit will drop from the tree naturally. To prevent the sprouting of berries from sprouting, collect them as quickly as possible.

Propagation

Allspice is a tropical evergreen tree known for its aromatic berries, used as a spice. For successful propagation, the division of suckers from the mature tree is recommended. Carefully separate these root offshoots, ensuring each has a robust root system before planting. This method promotes genetic consistency and vigor. Adequate care during the initial growth stages is essential, involving well-drained soil, consistent moisture, and partial to full sunlight exposure for optimal development.

Repotting

Repot allspice, a moderate-sized bush, biennially in spring to accommodate its growth. Choose a sizeable pot with ample drainage to ensure root health. Post-repotting, maintain moist soil and partial shade for recovery. Consistent care enables allspice’s fragrant leaves to thrive, adding zest to your garden and kitchen.

Pests and Diseases

Common Pests

Although allspice doesn’t have many significant pests, mealybugs, whiteflies, and aphids sometimes feed on the sap of leaves and plant matter. Mealybugs look like tiny cotton balls. Aphids have pear-shaped bodies, and whiteflies are tiny gnat-sized moths. Treat aphids and whiteflies with a strong stream of water from a hose. Ladybugs and lacewings will eat them too. All three of these pests can be treated with neem oil spray. Do not use the spray in the flowering phase, as this deters beneficial pollinators.

Common Diseases

Rust is a fungal disease that shows itself the bottom leaves of allspice. The first sign of the disease is white lesions. They take on a green tinge and then blacken leaves, causing defoliation. Prevent rust by providing proper drainage, and spread mulch around the base of your pimenta. There is no treatment for already-infected foliage, so remove any foliage with signs of rust. Spray the remainder of the tree with a copper-based fungicide to prevent further spread.

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that congregates on the leaves of plants in cool, wet weather. Remove affected leaves as they appear. If the leaves fall, this is a sign the disease has progressed significantly. Prevent powdery mildew with copper fungicide sprays or neem oil.

Bacterial crown gall causes large masses to form at the base of pimenta and on the roots too. A gall at the trunk is the first sign. Progressions of the disease can cause wilting and total death. There is no effective treatment for crown gall, so prevention is key to success. Many species of established tree can live with crown gall for quite some time, but you will need to destroy any infected material from that bacterial disease. Do not compost those materials.

III. Uses and Benefits

Allspice is one of the most important ingredients of Jamaican cuisine. Under the name pimento, it is used in Jamaican jerk seasoning, and traditionally its wood was used to smoke jerk in Jamaica. In the West Indies, an allspice liqueur is produced under the name “pimento dram”. In Mexican cuisine, it is used in many dishes, where it is known as pimienta gorda.

Allspice is also indispensable in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly in the Levant, where it is used to flavour a variety of stews and meat dishes, as well as tomato sauce. In Arab cuisine, for example, many main dishes use allspice as the only spice.

In Northern European and North American cooking, it is an ingredient in commercial sausage preparations and curry powders, and in pickling.

In the United States, it is used mostly in desserts, but it is also responsible for giving Cincinnati-style chili its distinctive aroma and flavor. Allspice is commonly used in Great Britain, and appears in many dishes. In Portugal, whole allspice is used heavily in traditional stews cooked in large terracotta pots in the Azores islands.

Allspice is also one of the most used spices in Polish cuisine (used in most dishes, soups and stews) and is commonly known under the name English herb (Polish: ziele angielskie) since Britain was its major exporter.

Allspice is an important part of Swedish and Finnish cuisine. Whole allspice is used to flavour soups as well as stews such as Karelian hot pot. Ground allspice is also used in various dishes, such as minced meat sauces, Swedish meatballs, lutefisk and different cakes.

IV. Harvesting and Storage

Harvesting

Harvest the fruits when they’re large enough, but when they’re unripe and still green – much like juniper. Look for green fruits that are ⅛ of an inch to ¼ inch large. Handpick the unripe fruit (like you would juniper berries) and place them in a basket or bag. Set the unripe berries on a dry surface in the sun to dry. When they are dark red, they’re ready to be stored with your other spices. Separate some of the berries to be used as seeds to sprout new allspice saplings. Rub them against a sieve to release the seeds within. Leaves should be harvested and used immediately. They can be taken from the tree as soon as they are the desired size. Fruit will grow on some plants at 3 years, while others produce berries at 5 to 6 years of age.

Storing

Store the dried berries whole in an airtight container for 3 to 4 years. Ground allspice is used to preserve meats or is combined with clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and other delectable spices. But ground allspice loses potency quickly. Grind them only just before cooking with them. Leaves of pimenta will not store and should be used in cooking in combination with other spices, like clove. Also like clove, store the pimenta berries in a dark, cool area.