Black pepper plant

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) (Family : Piperaceae) is a plant of humid tropics requiring high rainfall and humidity. The plant is grown for its fruits. The fruits are used to produce black, white and green peppercorns which are commonly used as a spice in cooking. Black pepper may be vining or have bushy, wooden stems.

It grows successfully between 20° North and South latitude, and from sea level up to 1500 m above sea level. The crop tolerates temperatures between 10° and 40°C.

This woody vine produces small green fruits and spiky white flowers. The unripe peppercorns are dried and sometimes cooked until they turn black and wrinkly.

Native to southern India and now common across Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Brazil, and other tropical regions, the black pepper is a tropical plant that enjoys warm, wet conditions with mild winters.

Black pepper is a fast-spreading vine that can grow over 20 feet in length, but under cultivation it is usually restricted to 10–13 ft. Young plants can take 3-4 years to come into bloom but even modest-sized plants can yield hundreds of peppercorns. It is a perennial plant which can live for over 30 years, with a commercial lifespan of 12–20 years.

Black Pepper has known health benefits such as: it increases nutrient absorption, improves heart rate and blood pressure, promotes healthy cell growth and digestion, acts as an anti-inflammatory, and enhances the immune system.
Black pepper plant