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ALLSPICE / PIMENTO

Pimenta dioica


Pimenta dioica of the family Myrtaceae. Pimenta officinales also uses the name allspice but seems to be uncommon in wood form. Pimenta jamaicensis is called wild pimento but also seems to be uncommon in wood form. There are a few other woods (all from different genera) that use the name pimento.

The plant's nuts have medicinal applications (under the name allspice). Both the nuts and the leaves figure in Caribbean cooking. Apparently the name 'allspice' was coined in the 1600's by the English, who thought it combined the flavor of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

The "tree" is classified as an evergreen shrub but can reach as much as 60 feet in height or can can be just a small, scrubby bush. In any event it is little seen in wood form in the USA. I see burl veneer most often with the name pimento rather than allspice.

my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting --- colors will vary under other lighting conditions

note that although I bought one of the samples and the others were loaned to me by either
David Clark or Mark Peet, ALL of my samples are from the same vendor

both sides of a sample plank of allspice / Pimenta dioica --- HUGE enlargements are present.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of allspice / Pimenta dioica --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of allspice / Pimenta dioica --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above. This end grain was only done to 400 grit unlike my normal 1200 grit.


both sides of a sample plank of allspice / Pimenta dioica --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The flaw in this was listed as "pippy burl" but it seems to me to be a rotted branch inclusion or some bark inclusion but I'm not at all sure about that.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above


both sides of a sample plank of allspice / Pimenta dioica --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The flaw in this was listed as "pippy burl" but it seems to me to be a rotted branch inclusion or some bark inclusion but I'm not at all sure about that.


end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above


END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above. This end grain was only done to 400 grit unlike my normal 1200 grit.

web pics:

burl veneer under the name pimento (I do not know for sure that these are actually Pimenta dioica)


pimento veneer, mostly in book-matched pairs and all appear to be burls and/or spalted. These appear to all be from the same vendor, so may not be as representative of the species as would a more diverse selection. (I do not know for sure that these are actually Pimenta dioica)


quartermatched burl veneer listed as pimento (I do not know for sure that this is actually Pimenta dioica)


allspice bowl --- color seems a bit too rich to me


burl bowl listed as pimento (I do not know for sure that this is actually Pimenta dioica)


vase with burl section listed as pimento (I do not know for sure that this is actually Pimenta dioica)