Real Black Pepper Plant (piper nigrum)
An aromatic flowering vine cultivated for its fruit known as a peppercorn. Peppercorns and the powder made from grinding them is broken down into black, cooked and dried unripe fruit, green, dried unripe fruit, and white, dried ripe seeds. Peppercorns are actually the fruit of the small white flower produced by the leathery leaved vine. These showy vines can grow up to 20 feet and the leaves and have a distinct citrus aroma when crushed. Piper is easy to grow in a moist well drained soil and requires little attention once it establishes. A single established stem will bear 20 to 30 fruiting spikes. The harvest begins as soon as one or two fruits at the base of the spikes begin to turn red, and before the fruit is fully mature, and still hard; if allowed to ripen completely, the fruit lose pungency.
Piper are very easy to grow tropical plants that require little care indoors or out. Many species of Piper can be grown as houseplants, or outdoors in mild climates. They thrive in moist soils with high organic matter and grow best when provided with a mossy post or burlap wrapped pole to climb. Piper plants can be grown in pots, hanging baskets. The most notable Piper is Piper Nigra which produces black peppercorns, however other easy to grow ornamental varieties are now becoming poplar with Aroid collectors and mini-culture fans. Though they sell out very quickly, we offer one of the largest varieties available in the U.S. from the miniature Silver Fleck to the massive Piper Magnificum. Colors range from neon yellow, pink sparkles to dark tortoise shell Please check back throughout the season to check availability.
This plant has been grown to maturity and is verified.
Why Verify? Juvenile forms of many aroid species look the same and proper identification at a young age is almost impossible. Unless you've actually grown and curated these plants to their full potential its easy to mix many species up. Additionally many plants originating from South America, Europe etc. are all to often given the same name even though at maturity they differ. With our new verify program you can see the mature form prior to your purchase.
How We Verify? This project began years ago, we now have an impressive 600+ varieties growing on large poles to verify their size, node spacing, leaf color, stem diameter, rate of growth etc.
About This Plant
- Genus: Piper
- Pot Size: Ships In 2x2x3″ Pot
- Includes: 1 Plant With Pot
- Ships By: UPS
- Ships From: Florida USA
- Shipping Rate: Click Tab Above
Info. & Recommendations
- Growth Rate: Moderate
- Light: 70-90%
- Soil: Rich Organic Mix
- Fertilizer: Slow Time Released
- Water: When Dry to Touch
- Dislikes: Soggy Soil
- Likes: 70-90°F
- Outdoor Zone: 9b-10
- Pot Size: 6″-24″ w/Drain Holes
- Indoors: Locate Near Natural Light
- Faux Light: Grow Light Full Spectrum
- Difficulty: Medium
Plants growing here are grown in a natural, humid, rainforest-like environment with little to no pesticides. Though it seldom occurs, when you receive your plant, leaves may drop, have spotting, folds, or even a bite mark or two in addition leaf browning may occur especially on plants with significant white coloration, this is only natural. Remember with plants you're in it for the long haul, to enjoy their natural beauty and possibly share a cutting or two with friends and family.
Here at the nursery, plants are grown under 40-80% shade cloth. If you're growing outdoors and plant directly in full sun you may experience leaf burn. It is best to acclimate this plant to its environment by keeping it outside and slowly moving it into a sunny area over a week or so to avoid stress. Please refer to the above guidelines.
We can not guarantee any future variegation patterns, coloration, survival or growth rate of any plant though all of the mother plants we propagate from have been successfully growing here for 20 plus years, some plants may still sport. Rest assured all variegation is natural, we do not agree with temporary Chemically Induced Variegation, (NO C.I.V.)
