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Pimenta racemosa
Also called Bay Rum Tree, Bay Leaf, Bayberry, Bayrom Tree, Cinnamon Bush, Cinnamon Tree, West Indian Bay Tree
Bayrumtree is a 4 to 12 m tropical evergreen tree from the Caribbean and Venezuela, grown for its aromatic leaves and the essential oil used in bay rum. It needs warmth, bright sun and regular water, and can become invasive where it is introduced.
Pimenta racemosa is a species of plant in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) that is native to the Caribbean region and Venezuela. Common names include West Indian bay tree, bay rum tree, and ciliment.
Pimenta racemosa is widely introduced and can become an invasive weed. The plants are now grown widely in other tropical areas, including Oceania.
It is used in cooking and an essential oil is distilled to produce a fragrant cologne called bay rum; although the name is similar to names of flavored alcoholic beverages, the concentrated essential oil from the fruit is toxic and renders the product undrinkable. The leaves are also used for herbal teas.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Pimenta racemosa by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
