''Pimenta racemosa'' is a species of plant in the myrtle family (

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All speci ...

) that is native to the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

region. Common names include West Indian bay tree, bay rum tree, and ciliment. It is used in cooking and an essential oil is distilled to produce a fragrant

cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western States of Germany, state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 m ...

called

bay rum Bay rum is a type of cologne and aftershave lotion. Other uses include as under-arm deodorant and as a fragrance for shaving soap, as well as a general astringent. Origins It is a distillate that was originally made in Saint Thomas "and probably ...

; although bay rum primarily refers to

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak barrels. Rum is produced in nearly every sugar-producing region of the world, such as the Phili ...

, the concentrated essential oil from the fruit is toxic and renders the product undrinkable. The leaves as often used for tea purposes. The tree is 4–12 m tall and the white flowers, about 10 mm wide, become black, oval fruits measuring 7–12 mm.Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Myrtaceae: ''Pimenta racemosa''
(by J.W.Moore) The plants are now grown widely in other tropical areas, including

Oceania Oceania (, , ) is a region, geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern Hemisphere, Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of ...

. The ideal conditions for ''P. racemosa'' are regular irrigation and bright sunshine.

Ecology

''Pimenta racemosa'' is widely introduced and can become an invasive weed.

References

External links

racemosa Plants described in 1933 Trees of the Caribbean Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Myrtaceae-stub