Nutmeg Live Plant (Myristica fragrans)

Nutmeg is an aromatic evergreen tree with spreading branches and a yellow fleshy fruit similar in appearance to an apricot or peach. It native to Indonesia and cultivated widely in India for its fruit. The bark is greyish black. The leaves are elliptic or oblong-lanceolate and leathery. The flowers, borne in umbel-like cymes, are creamy yellow and fragrant. When fully mature it splits in two, exposing a crimson-colored edible pulp surrounding a single seed, the nutmeg. Dried nutmegs are grayish-brown ovals with furrowed surfaces about 1-1.5 inches long. The spice consisting of the seed has a characteristic, pleasant fragrance and slightly warm taste; it is used to flavor many kinds of baked goods, meats, sausages, sauces, vegetables, and such beverages as eggnog.

Common Name: Mace, Nutmeg

Botanical Name: Myristica fragrans

Bloom Time/Fruiting: 2 to 3 Years

Maintenance Required: Moderate