Native to the New World Tropics, allspice is a medium sized tree growing up to 35 to 42 feet in height whose leaves smell like a combination of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The evergreen tree produces small berries which contains one or two seeds. This seed is priced as the second most expensive spice in the world market after Saffron.

Unripe berries are harvested and dried under the sun and used for culinary purposes, sometimes as a substitute for cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Because of its levels of eugenol, an essential oil with similar properties to cloves, it is a natural aid for digestion. The leaves can be soaked in a hot bath to produce a mild anesthetic good for arthritis.