General Information :

• Aromatic evergreen tree usually growing.
• Leaves alternate, pointed.
• Flowers bell-shaped pale yellow in color.
• Fruit oval shaped yellow in color.
• Bark contains watery pink or red sap.

 

Distribution :

• Cultivated widely in tropical regions on India.

Habitat : Tropical Forest

Soil : Alluvial soil

Soil pH : 6.5-7.5.

Altitude :Up to 4,500 m

Rainfall :2000-3500 mm

Temperature : 25-30ºC

Terrain : Hilly

Tree Characteristics :

• Light demander and frost hardy.

Habit : Evergreen Tree

Natural Regeneration :

• Propagation is mainly done by seeds.

Artificial Regeneration :

• Epicotyls grafting, patch budding and approach grafting are most successful in Nutmeg propagation.

Seed collection and Storage :

• Seeds are collected from trees during June – July.
• Seed rate is 30g/fruit.

Seed Treatment :

• No pretreatment is necessary.

Nursery Technique :

• Fruits are harvested during June - July.Seeds are separated and shade dried.
• Seeds sown immediately after extraction in the mother.
• Germination commences from 40 days and extends up to 90 days.
• Two leaf stage seedlings are transplanted to poly bags of size 35 x 15 cm.
• One year old seedlings are fit for planting out.

Vegetative propagation:

• Grafting (approach method) or budding (Patch method) is recommended to perpetuate high yielding nutmeg types.
• Best season is from October to January.
• Use only orthotropic shoots as scion materials.

Plantation technique :

• Plant 12 - 18 months old seedlings in pits of 60 cm x 60 cm x 60 cm size and filled up with equal parts of forest soil and cattle manure.
• Adopt spacing of 8 m x 8 m either way.
• Season of planting is June – December.

Care & Disease Control :

Irrigation in Nutmeg Cultivation:–

• Nutmeg plants require good irrigation for high yield and quality of fruits.
• The frequency of irrigation depends on the season, moisture holding capacity of the soil and plant age.

Irrigation :

Generally, Nutmeg plants require good irrigation for high yield and quality of fruits. However, the frequency of irrigation depends on the season, moisture holding capacity of the soil and plant age.

Recommended Harvest :

• 15-40 years.

Yield :

• Fruits          :  1000 - 2000/tree
• Dried nuts    :  5 - 7 kg/tree
• Dried mace  :  0.5 - 0.7 kg/tree

Agro Forestory :

• Nutmeg can be best grown as an intercrop in old coconut orchards, clove, areca-nut and coffee gardens, where light shade conditions are suitable.

Major uses :

Medicinal use:

• Nutmeg is also said to have stimulant, carminative and aphrodisiac properties.
• The seed is taken internally in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, vomiting, abdominal distension, indigestion and colic.

Other uses :

Essential oils,Medicine,Abuse.