Black Pepper Plant – Live Tree in a 3 Gallon Pot with Trellis – Piper Nigrum – Edible Spice Plant for Gardens

Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) is the most commonly used spice in the world and when paired with salt can be found on almost every household table in the United States. The beauty of the Black Pepper spice is that not much is needed to get the beneficial effects. Piper nigrum is native to South India, loves the hot tropics and has been in cultivation for over 2,000 years. In temperate climates, Black Pepper makes an excellent house plant. 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 can yield hundreds of peppercorns. Green and red peppercorn fruits are often found on the plant at the same time. The red fruit is the ripening fruit. The peppercorn can be picked whether the color is green or red depending on which type of peppercorn you desire. If you want black or green pepper as your final color then, harvest the peppercorn when its green. If you want white or red pepper, then harvest the peppercorn when it is red. Black Pepper has a vining habit so it grows well in a basket or in a pot with a stake or trellis for support. Attach the stems to the trellis so the plant climbs easily.