Black Pepper Plant (Piper nigrum)

The Black Pepper of commerce, this South Asian tropical vine produces chains of small round fruit. By choosing the time of harvest and the method of processing, all four types of peppercorns (black, white, green and red) can be harvested from the same plant. Plants require high temperature and optimum light for fruiting. Piper nigrum blooms freely through the summer months and the fruits ripen the following year. Young plants can take 3-4 years to come into bloom but even modest-sized plants will yield hundreds of peppercorns. Soon you'll be able to grind your own peppercorns for fresh, aromatic pepper! Special Note: Piper plants naturally excrete small, round grains, or growth sugars, on the undersides of the leaves. While sometimes confused for insect eggs or a sign of disease, these sugar grains are actually a sign of normal, healthy growth, and are nothing to be worried about.