Climbing liana with adventitious roots and leathery, elliptical, heart-shaped leaves. The flowers of pepper are inconspicuous with greenish-yellow, pendulous spikes on which grow the single-seeded stone fruits that are first green and then red.
Black, white and green peppercorns all come from the same plant. Green pepper is pickled in brine or oil immediately after harvesting in order to halt oxidation. Black pepper is harvested before it is ripe and is then dried, resulting in its shrivelled skin. White pepper, on the other hand, is obtained from ripe fruit where the pulp has been mechanically removed.
We use this plant to illustrate one of the world’s most economically important spices. So far we have only been able to harvest a very small amount.
Southwestern India
Spain
Black, white and green peppercorns all come from the same plant. Green pepper is pickled in brine or oil immediately after harvesting in order to halt oxidation. Black pepper is harvested before it is ripe and is then dried, resulting in its shrivelled skin. White pepper, on the other hand, is obtained from ripe fruit where the pulp has been mechanically removed.
We use this plant to illustrate one of the world’s most economically important spices. So far we have only been able to harvest a very small amount.
