Nutmeg has been in cultivation for at least 1,000 years and is native to the Moluccas or the Spice Islands. Today it is commercially grown in Indonesia or places with high humidity and warm temperatures all year. It is slow- growing but will eventually grow to 40 feet or taller under ideal conditions.

The leaves are glossy and dark green, and the tree tends to have a dense growth habit. Commercial trees are kept low and encouraged to a bushy habit for ease of harvesting. The fruits are similar looking to a pale peach; they split open to reveal the seed and a soft, pliable coating around it. The coating is the spice Mace, which will turn from ivory to a brilliant red when it is time to harvest both.

Nutmeg is the seed kernel, inside a very hard shell, that needs to be dried first before it is cracked open to retrieve the kernel. Mace is also dried before grinding it to a powder or sold in its natural form. The fruit is used to make a tart jelly.

Nutmeg is usually dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are on separate plants. The trees will flower and fruit several times a year as long as there are no extended dry periods. They are very long-lived and can bear for ninety years or more.

Fertilize with organic-based fertilizers, as Nutmeg is sensitive to harsh chemical fertilizers and herbicide overspray, especially when young.