allspice seeds for planting Allspice Tree (Jamaica Pepper)

allspice seeds for planting Allspice Tree (Jamaica Pepper)You can experience Allspice's warm flavors in cuisines around the world from Jamaica to Europe to the Middle East. The taste of the small, brown fruit will remind you of cinnamon, clove, black pepper, and nutmeg put together in one spice jar hence the perfectly penned name but it is one single spice. While Allspice is also called Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, and pimento, none of those names does justice for its inclusive array of flavors.

You can experience Allspice's warm flavors in cuisines around the world from Jamaica to Europe to the Middle East. The taste of the small, brown fruit will remind you of cinnamon, clove, black pepper, and nutmeg put together in one spice jar--hence the perfectly-penned name--but it is one single spice. While Allspice is also called Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, and pimento, none of those names does justice for its inclusive array of flavors. The Latin name supposedly stemmed from Christopher Columbus mistaking it for black pepper and therefore penning it as "Pimenta" from the Spanish word for Pepper.

If your palate isn't up for venturing around the world, you'll still recognize Allspice's hints in American classics, too. Think sweater weather; allspice is all you need for those warm, aromatic baked goods, Thanksgiving hams, and creamy soups we all love in the fall. Allspice is a slow-growing evergreen tree that can reach anywhere between 20-40 feet and has beautiful white flowers. You can catch whiffs of the pleasant aroma from the blooms and from its crushed leaves and bark. Allspice makes a great houseplant in freezing climates and a great outdoor plant in warmer zones. Established plants can withstand temperatures up to 28 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Average Mature Height: 20-40 feet
• Sunlight requirements: Full sun
• Soil Moisture requirements: Well-drained, medium moist
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-12 if grown outdoors