Myristica fragrans - The nutmeg tree is an evergreen growing to 21 meters. It does not bear fruit until the 7th year. The nutmeg spice is derived from the inner part of the tree’s brown seeds. The bright-red membrane partly covering the seed produces mace, a fragrant resin. Until the 19th century, the source for the coveted nutmeg spice was limited to Indonesia’s Banda Islands. Indonesia remains the primary producer of this spice, but Grenada ranks 2nd in nutmeg production.
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The French were the first to gain control of Grenada. A party of 203 men, led by Governor Jacques Dyel du Parquet of Martinique, arrived in 1649, built a fortified settlement at Fort Annunciation, and began the process of establishing a thriving sugar and indigo industry. In 1674, Grenada, having been held by chartered French companies since 1649, officially became a French colony. The French lost Grenada to the British in 1762, during the Seven Years War. Grenada became an independent country in 1974.
