Joe Willhoite, age 11, of Cumberland, Md. for his question:

WHERE DOES PIMENTO COME FROM?

Pimento is the popular name of a small evergreen tree of the myrtle family. A spice known as allspice or pimento comes from this tree. The name of the tree comes from "pimienta," the Spanish word for "peppercorn."

The pimento tree is native to the West Indies. Most commercial pimento spice comes from Jamaica.

The fleshy red condiment called pimento is the fruit of the paprika plant and is a capsicum, or a member of the pepper family. It is used for stuffing green olives.

Pimento trees usually grow to heights of 20 to 30 feet. The fruit is a small berry that is black, glossy, sweet and juicy when ripe, and about the size of a black currant.

Because it comes from Jamaica, pimento is sometimes known as Jamaica pepper.