I get a wonderful Jamaican Jerk spice form a lady who gets it from her parents in Jamaica.. it's a small although comercial one ... in a little plastic bag with a small printed label.. It lists the first spice added as Pimento... it has these pea sized spices... looking like big pepper corns... which I believe to be the pimento they mention... although pimento in the US is a form of a red pepper ... there, it is the name given to allspice... [ google : Jamaican pimento... to find the spices Jamacian history ]
Is anyone fimilar with this tree ... and how might these seeds of the tree be started .. lacking any real idea I guess a soak in warm water for a bit ... perhaps a nick in the outside and then into soil or paper towels...
the spice comes from Vinyard Enterprise...424 Vinyard Close , St.Catherine.. I've no idea if they mail direct.. but it's a lovely item sprinkled on chicken or fish.. and I'd like to grow the tree..
Gordon
Jamacian Jerk seasoning with Pimento / Allspice how do they
Gordon...I have an Allspice tree and when it blooms, it is the MOST divine scent imaginable!!! Don't know how you would grow it in NY....but then, you do amazing things!! I have never tried to process the spice...I hear it is complicated and frankly I never see seeds on my tree (perhaps they need both sexes). I love it for the blossoms once and year and to crumble the leaves in my hands!
In Peru they use Allspice as a pepper and call it White Pepper. I had some on scrambled eggs once and loved it!
I know that jamaican spice mix you speak of...and have the recipe for it...do you want it?
Carol
Allspice (Pimenta dioica [L.] Mer.) http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/generic_frame.html?Pime_dio.html , http://www.floridata.com/main_fr.cfm?state=ref_contents&viewsrc=http://www.floridata.com/ref/P/pime_dio.cfm
possible source???? http://www.plantcreations.com/stoppers.htm
hope that help... ma vie
Carol.. thanks again for the offer .. I'll try and sprout the ones I got ... although I see the seeds used forthe spice mix is unrioe ones they have dried... so they might not work well. there was some talk as to weather there were seeds on just the female trees... but it seemed to be unsure of it.. the tree is good to 25* F it says.. so I'll have to bring it in.. or move to my tropical garden... soon as i get one
sure please send the spice mix... I've seen one .. so I'll compare them.. I'm down to the last 1/2 dozen packages i got ... seem ot go through it real fast... it's replaced the cajun blackening spice I had as my favorite for years..
MA vie... thanks for the links... I'd forotten about floradata.. it will be helpful in the future also..it seems like such a great tree... don't know why everyone in a tropical place doesn't have one.. thanks again... Gordon
Here they are mildly invasive. The seeds sprout all under the tree (hmmmm, I did say I saw no seeds...I wonder where they are?) and birds carry them so Allspice is growing all over!!! We just chop down the larger sprouted seeds and save the smaller ones to give away to friends (and enemies).
Carol
Researching as I am on my first year with this tree. Have you had success starting this plant from seed?
My findings on this plant
The allspice tree begins to fruit when 7 to 8 years old and it comes into full bearing from 15 years. The small flowers are quickly followed by small berries that resemble that resemble black peppercorns.
There are both male and female allspice trees. The so-called male trees rarely bear fruit. There is no way to tell which is which before the time of fruiting.
The fragrance of the leaves is exquisite. I have also found it is extremely cold sensitive and must stay indoors in this zone.
Any luck GordonHawk?
OH..I didn't get any to sprout... they might have been processed beyound viability.. Carol is the one to see I guess..if she's there chopping them out..and giving someaway...perhaps they are a bit much to grow on the roof... given the many years to get them going.. and having to bring them inside...
I already have too many trees inside with me... I choose one to decorate as a Christmas tree as it is...
How big is yours..do you have inside with you...did you get it locallly there.. are the leaves fragerant inside with you... must be lovely if they are.. Got a picture ??
. ..Gordon
This message was edited Dec 23, 2007 7:00 PM
Sorry the seeds didn't... I purchased mine online. The leaves when crushed emit a wonderful fragrance and can be used for seasoning as one would Bay leaves. Mine is a foot tall and bushing out with new growth from the base. I have stored info and a photo here ~ http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/viewentry/148686/ If you have room for a small one, I would encourage you. It is amazingly mouth watering.
Podster... MY MY... you certainly naild this one... giving anyone everything... I see now the temperatures I was asking it to sprout in.. might have been a bit lower than the inside of a bird..
I'm glad you so enjoy yours... I enjoyed hearing the history and uses... habatat.. and other growth considerations.. ... Enjoy yours... and the holidays.. Gordon
Are you still enjoying the Jamaican Jerk? Have you run out of your stash? Are you now making it from scratch? Or have you moved on to a new taste temptation... LOL ~ thanks for the seasons greetings and sending best wishes for many more!
Carole please share that recipe. I have been fooling around with some from cookbooks and still cannot find one that I really like. oops just saw this was an older post . Oh well cant's hurt to ask right?
I think I saw another post regarding this somewhere because I now have it on my spring wish list. I am not to good with plants kept in pots but everything I read says it might be worth a try.
Oooops just got back to this post...will look up the R and get back to yuou....sorry!!!