I've had my Allspice for about 8 years. It's always been in a pot with potting soil and compost. I keep it in the pot because I don't leave it out in winter. I keep it in the hoop house on the patio with heater. I don't think it would take a freeze. I'm going to have to trim it back because the main trunk is damaged. I think it'll be okay.
I've never used it for anything except having visitors to the garden smell the leaves and try to guess what it is. I don't think anyone has ever come up with an ID on their first few tries. One of the men in our garden club grinds the bark (?) of his and makes allspice powder.
