English/ Common name- Bay Rum Tree
Botanical name- Pimenta racemosa.
Appearance- This is a small-sized tree related to the allspice, It has small white flowers resembling tiny bouquets of sparkly cotton candy. They are followed by a small back ovoid fruit. It is a slow-growing, columnar tree with a normal height of 20 m,
Origin- The pimenta racemosa or the bay rum tree has the West Indies as its origin lands.
Conditions required for growth- This tree requires 80-100% sunlight, Depending on the location full sun is often best. It prefers fertile soil rich in organic matter, it prefers full sun but tolerates some light shades. It doesn't require pruning, but cut back in early spring can keep the tree’s size under control
Uses- Bay Rum has been used in folk medicine for sore muscles, strains, and sprains. Later it was discovered that the essential oil contains a diterpene that has anti-bacterial properties.
Common remedies-
- For mosquito repulsion (Part of the tree used - Leaves) : The tree has a magical charming smell with healing properties, Rub the leaves after making a churn with the leaves using our hands and rub the skin or any piece of fabric before getting into a mosquito-filled place or a forest, This mosquito repellent will help as this fragrance will linger with us all day, the plant has a strong lemon scent, which is relaxing to us, but acts as a repellent for insects
Hazards- The fruit is not edible, the bay rum (used for cologne) and essential oil itself are toxic and should not be ingested.
