Pimenta racemosa is a species of plant in the myrtle family (
Myrtaceae) that is native to the
Caribbean region. Common names include
West Indian bay tree,
bay rum tree, and
ciliment. It is used in cooking and an essential oil is distilled to produce a fragrant
cologne called
bay rum; although bay rum is essentially
rum, the concentrated essential oil is toxic and renders the product undrinkable. The tree is 4-12 m tall and the white flowers, about 10 mm wide, become black, oval fruits measuring 7-12 mm. The plants are now grown widely in other tropical areas, including
Oceania. The ideal conditions for
P. racemosa are regular irrigation and bright sunshine.