The nutmeg tree is any of several species of trees in genus Myristica. The most important commercial species is Myristica fragrant an evergreen tree indigenous to the Banda Islands in the Moluccas of Indonesia. The nutmeg tree is important for two spices derived from the fruit nutmeg and mace.

The first harvest of nutmeg trees takes place 7–9 years after planting, and the trees reach full production after 20 years. Nutmeg is usually used in powdered form. This is the only tropical fruit that is the source of two different spices. Several other commercial products are also produced from the trees, including essential oils, extracted oleoresins and nutmeg butter.

Mace was used for stomach disorders as well as other medical uses. It has progressed over time and is added to soaps, perfumes and it is also used as a cooking ingredient. It smells like and is very close to nutmeg in its makeup. The mace tree may reach heights of around sixty five feet (twenty meters). The tree can bear fruits for over half a century. The same tree also produces nutmeg.

The name is derived from a mediaeval word for 'nut,' meaning 'suitable for an ointment.' The tree is a small evergreen, not more than 40 feet in height, with smooth, grayish-brown bark, green on the younger branches. The alternate leaves are oblong-ovate, acute, entire, smooth, and dark-green. The flowers are very small and unisexual. The fruits, smooth and yellow, resemble a pear grooved by a longitudinal furrow and contain a single erect seed about 1 1/4 inch long, the nucleus being the wrinkled 'nutmeg,' and the fleshy, irregular covering, scarlet when fresh and drying yellow and brittle, the 'mace.'

The principal harvest at Bencoolen is usually in the autumn, the smaller one in early summer. The fruits, which split open when ripe, are gathered with a long-handled hook and the products are separated. The mace when dried is often sprinkled with salt water to preserve it. If packed too moist it breeds worms. Most of the supply comes from the Banda Islands by way of Java and Sumatra.

Uses: Both Mace and Nutmeg help digestion in stomachic weakness but if used to excess may cause over-excitement. They increase circulation and animal heat. They have been employed in pestilential and putrid fevers and with other substances in intermittent fevers, enter into the composition of many French medicaments.

Nutmeg and mace have similar sensory qualities, with nutmeg having a slightly sweeter and mace a more delicate flavor. Mace is often preferred in light dishes for the bright orange, saffron -like hue it imparts. Nutmeg is used for flavoring many dishes, usually in ground or grated form, and is best grated fresh in a nutmeg grater.

In Indian cuisine, nutmeg is used in many sweet as well as savory dishes. It is also added in small quantities as a medicine for infants. It may also be used in small quantities in garam masala. Ground nutmeg is also smoked in India.

In Indonesian cuisine, nutmeg is used in various dishes, mainly in many soups, such as Soto soup, basso soup or sup Kambing. It is also made as sweets. In Middle Eastern cuisine, ground nutmeg is often used as a spice for savory dishes.

In the Caribbean, nutmeg is often used in drinks such as the Bushwalker, Painkiller and Barbados rum punch. Typically, it is just a sprinkle on the top of the drink. The fruit/pod is used in Grenada and also in Indonesia to make jam, or is finely sliced, cooked with sugar, and crystallized to make a fragrant candy.

In Scotland, mace and nutmeg are usually both essential ingredients in haggis.

Mace Essential Oil benefits and uses include have the properties analgesic, anti-rheumatic, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, carminative, digestive, laxative, stimulant and tonic. It can stimulate the heart and circulation; it can also activate the mind and revives people whilst having spells of fainting. It can be used to stimulate appetite whilst relieving constipation. It is known to be a tonic assisting the reproductive system.

Mace Oil can be used undiluted in a diffuser or inhaled directly; it gives the aroma of fresh nutmeg. A favorite is to add it to a warm bath to ease fatigue and muscle pain. Dilute the essential if you intend to use directly on your skin. It can be diluted with other oils. Always test on a small area of skin first.