The nutmeg tree, Myristica fragrans, is a a large tropical, up to 20 meters, dioecious evergreen nut tree. It is a indigenous of the Molucca Islands but it is widely cultivated in many parts of the tropical zone for its fruits which yield two spices (nutmeg from the seed kernel and mace from aril) and for its timber.

The Nutmeg is a member of the family Myristicaceae the genus Myristica that comprises approximately 19 genera and 400 species of evergreen shrubs and trees that are spread throughout the tropics. A regular nutmeg tree is unisexual; male and female flowers on different trees. flowers are small, light yellow in color and bell-shaped.

The fruit, called the nutmeg apple, is a near spherical drupe the size of a pear, 20 to 30 mm long and 15 to 18 mm wide, of a yellowish color. The fruit opens up into two almost equal lengthwise halves displaying the enclosing nut rounded by its aril. The nutmeg nut is dark brown on the exterior and lighter brown on the inside.

The kernel of the fruit is called nutmeg as well. The nutmeg is a fragrant, very pleasant to the taste and smell, and a great deal used in cooking most commonly associated with sweet, spicy dishes. Nutmeg and mace have similar taste tones, with nutmeg featuring a slightly sweeter and mace a more refined flavor. Mace is frequently favored in light dishes for the vivid orange, saffron-like hue it adds.

the Nutmeg tree favors the rich volcanic soils and warm, wet conditions of the tropics. Propagation is by seeds. It takes up to five years for the trees to flower. Full bearing takes place after 15 years and the trees carry on bearing fruit for close to fifty years. An individual mature tree can have a great fruit production with up to 2,000 nutmegs each year.

Other species of Myristica includes the Brazilian nutmeg, Peruvian nutmeg, etc. They yield nutmegs of lesser quality.

Brazilian Nutmeg – Cryptocarya moschata

The Brazilian Nutmeg, Cryptocarya moschata, is a large bush that bears whitish fruit, with a soft flesh and one big seed which can be used as a lower-grade alternative for nutmeg.

The Brazilian nutmeg tree is a member of the Family Lauraceae. It is valued as much for its yellowish hard timber as it is for its off-white edible fruits. The soft pulp contains one large nut (seed) with a ribbed surface. Like a lot of others in Lauraceae family, this spice has a likewise pungent smell and taste, making it somewhat practical as flavoring.

Nutmeg, Brazilian Nutmeg

Interested on Fruit and Nut Bearing Trees and Plants? Stay Tuned. There is Much More to Come.

The key to successful fruit and nut production is the provision of a beneficial environment for the trees that bear them.