Black pepper, (Piper nigrum), another healing plant, is one of the earliest spices used by our ancient ancestors.  It is called the “king of spices” and is one of the most highly cultivated and popular spice plants in the world. 

Black pepper, a woody perennial climbing vine, is a member of the Piperaceae family.  It is cultivated for its hot pungent tiny fruits- the peppercorns which grow in abundance in large green clumps until a majority of the seeds turn yellowish-red, which means they are ready for harvest and processing. The drupes (seeds) contain up to 3% essential oil.  The aroma is penetrating and aromatic and often triggers a bout of sneezing. The seeds are processed and dried for use as a culinary spice and for treatment of many health issues.

If you choose to grow pepper vines in your home garden, it is likely you will be able to keep a good supply by growing a plant or two.  The vines can grow to be up to 33 feet in height.  With good support and pruning, pepper plants can be grown in your backyard garden in containers with drainage or directly in the earth. Keep in mind that the established vines can live and produce for 20 to 30 years!  The plants thrive in hot humid weather with partial shade and consistent moisture, as long as the roots do not get soggy wet. It takes 3 to 4 years for the vines to mature and produce peppercorn clusters when grown from seed.  The plants grown from rooted cuttings take a shorter time - from 1-3 years - to produce peppercorns ready to harvest. The peppercorns from the super market are said not to sprout. Use fresh seeds.  Cuttings are the preferred method.  Plants are available at some nurseries and may be found at the Belize Spice Farm ready to plant or you can buy packaged peppercorns processed for you and save a lot of work. 

It is advised to plant peppercorn seeds at the start of the rainy season. Choose a location that gets at least 6 hours of direct and indirect sunlight daily.  Soak the seeds overnight, then plant 1/4 inch deep in well drained slightly acid pH 5.5 -6.5 loamy soil, 3-4 inches apart.  When the vines are about 6 inches tall plant them 3-4 feet apart.  It takes a few weeks for the seedlings to sprout and start growing seriously.  Be sure to have your support tree, tippee stakes or fence in place for the vines to grow on and be sure to keep the soil moist.  When the vines start to produce pods watch for the peppercorns changing colour as an indication of ripeness.  The seeds need to be threshed from the pods by hand.  In India women dance barefoot on the pods to release the seeds.  The next step is to plunge the seeds into boiling water for at least one minute to initiate the microbes’ enzymatic reaction to turn black.  After the plunge, dry the peppercorns for 5-12 days in the sun, or in an electric dehydrator days until the seeds are dry and wrinkled.  When the seeds are completely dry, store them in glass jars until ready for use.  

In addition to being a savoury seasoning, the peppercorns have many medicinal uses.

Fresh ground peppercorns add a tasty bite to rice, pasta, potatoes, veggies, salads, soups and casseroles.  The list of medicinal uses is impressive.  Ground peppercorns can be processed to make a tincture or infused oil.  Crush ½ cup peppercorns, place in a jar, cover with 1 to 1 ½ cups of sesame or olive oil.  Place in a window sill for at least 2-4 weeks, then rub on painful joints as an anti-inflammatory agent. Pepper has a solid reputation as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory due to the healing properties of its high-content, piperine.  It also is helpful to boost brain health and improve digestion and ease respiratory issues and aches and pains.  Regular use of black pepper supports blood sugar management; 1 tsp. per day or less is sufficient. 

Recipe for making tea; steep 1 teaspoon ground peppercorns in 2 cups freshly boiled water for 5 minutes, add 1 tablespoon honey then sip to sooth the throat or as a cough remedy. Peppercorns combined with turmeric are said to help absorption of piperine in the peppercorns.  Next time you make a chocolate cake add about one teaspoon finely ground black peppers and about one tablespoon ground turmeric for a healthy, slightly spicy, tasty undertone.