Known by the vernacular name " Allspices " to Americans because of its diversity of flavors, Jamaica berry, although a berry rather than a pepper, comes from a remarkably unique tree.

Did you know that over 70% of the world's Jamaican berry production comes from this Jamaican soil, requiring a pH between 5 and 6 and an annual rainfall of at least 1300mm ? In addition, the soil must maintain a constant humidity of more than 80% .

Jamaica berries, dried fruits of Pimenta dioica , come from a tree that can reach 30 meters in height . Native to Mexico and the islands of Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica, it belongs to the botanical family Myrtaceae , like Eucalyptus or Manuka. In Brazil it was introduced in Bahia.

Although often called " Allspice ", it is inaccurate to consider it as such, as Pimenta dioica does not belong to the botanical genus Capsicum. That’s why we prefer to call it simply “ Jamaica Bay .”

You should know that it is best to crush the berry. 

Also known as Chili Myrtle , this berry and its tree have spanned the centuries, being introduced and cultivated in various countries such as Barbados, Honduras, Guatemala and Brazil. Although the term " Jamaica berry " is commonly used, its production is no longer limited to Jamaica.

From June to August , the tree flowers and produces magnificent white flowers which gradually transform into red berries when ripe. Picked by hand before they are fully ripe, the berries are then dried in the sun until they obtain a brown color.

A Spicy Story

The Aztecs were the first to use Jamaican berries in cooking, to flavor chocolate or as a marinade for meat, as well as in embalming the dead.

In the 16th century , the Spanish introduced Jamaican berries to Europe. When the English conquered Jamaica in 1655 , they also took control of the trade in this bay, hence its other name, the " Chilli of the English ". In the 17th century , it was commonly used by sailors to preserve meat and fish during long crossings.

It was Christopher Columbus who initially called this berry " Jamaica Pepper " during an expedition, comparing it to pepper ( Piper nigrum ). Although the ethno-botanical reference could be justified, the ethno-botanical definition of peppers, he did not have everything to be wrong. But if we go back to the botanical definition (pepper is the fruit of a vine of the piperacae family and the piper genus) then it is inaccurate to call it pepper.