Care Info | Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)

Ever wonder where the pepper in your shaker 🧂comes from? If you're a garden guru, you probably already know that Piper nigrum, commonly known as a Black Pepper plant is the source of those spicy, nutty peppercorns. Did you know white, green, and red pepper also comes from this plant, too? The color differs due to when the berries are harvested and how they are processed. There are so many great benefits to growing this dinnertime staple yourself: It has a stronger, fresher taste than store-bought pepper, you can grind it to whatever thickness you want in a mortar and pestle or grinder, and you don't have to be dependent on trips to the market for your everyday needs. Bring mealtime to the next level by growing your own peppercorns. 

Black Pepper culture in a nutshell 

Plants have a culture they prefer, just like people from different countries and even households have their own customs and traditions. Some grow in desert-like conditions, storing up water and needing hardly a drop to stay hydrated. Others grow next to ponds and love to be sitting in water. To keep your plant happy, you don't have to live in a spot perfectly suited for the plant. You can give your plants the culture they crave by making a few adjustments.

Read on to learn about the culture Piper nigrum needs to thrive. If you just need a quick bullet point answer, glance at the list below. If you want more information, you can read the full deets about each point below.

• 📍 Origin: India
• 🌡️ USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11
• 📊 Classification: Perennial vine
• 📏 Height potential: 12-15 feet
• 🏡 Planting location: Indoors or outdoors
• ☀️ Light: Full to part sun 
• 💧 Soil/Watering: Well-drained, medium moist
• 🍴 Fertilizer: 20-20-20 
• ✂️ Pruning: Prune to increase yield and health
• ❄️ Cold weather care: Protect from extreme temperatures
• 🍎 Fruiting and harvesting: 3-5 years after planting/6-8 months after flowering
• 🕷️ Common pests: Aphids and mealybugs
• 🐈 Toxic to pets? No
• 🤔 Troubleshooting

The Full Deets

📍Origin

Piper nigrum is native to the Malabar Coast in India. The plant thrives in this tropical region. The Latin name Piper comes from the Sanskrit "pippali." Black Pepper is now commonly grown in many other places, including Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, The U.S., Vietnam, and your garden. 

🌡️ USDA Hardiness Zones

Can I grow Piper nigrum where I live? What if I live in a cold place? No problem. If it can't grow outside in your area, Black Pepper makes a great houseplant.

On each product page, we list each plant’s USDA hardiness zone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture created the hardiness map to help gardeners identify the areas in which plants tend to grow well based on past average temperatures. On the USDA's site, you can enter your zip code to identify your hardiness zone. Black Pepper is only hardy in zones 10-11 (coldest temperature = 35 degrees Fahrenheit). If you live outside the zone, you can grow it in a pot indoors. 

📊 Classification

Piper nigrum is a vining perennial (garden lingo which means it doesn't die annually but rather lives for many years). Pot it with a small trellis or stake and watch it vine out in a controlled manner--This isn't a wrap-around-like-crazy kind of vine. 

📏 Height potential

This plant grows to around 12 to 15 feet long. And since it's a vine, you don't have to worry about it being too tall for your home or garden space. It will twine around a trellis rather than growing straight up. So the height of your plant really depends on the height of your support structure.

🏡 Planting location

Piper nigrum grows well both indoors and outdoors as long as you give it as much sun as possible (full to part). You will also want to plant it with a trellis or stake for support.

If growing indoors, it makes a perfect windowsill plant. 

If planting multiples outdoors, space 8-12 feet apart to allow the roots ample room to spread out.

🔆 Light

Black Pepper thrives in full to part sun. Choose the sunniest part of your yard or home to give your plant its most natural lighting environment. If growing indoors, a windowsill is ideal. 

💧 Soil / Watering

Plant Black Pepper in soil that drains well and keep the soil medium moist, allowing the top 2 inches of soil to dry out slightly between waterings. This probably means you will need to water it 3 to 4 times per week, but that can also depend on your climate and pot size. Check out our watering guide to learn more about getting just the right amount of moisture for your plant. 

🍴Fertilizer

Black Pepper is a low to moderate feeder, so it doesn't need too much fertilization. We recommend fertilizing every 14 days in the growing season (spring/summer). Once the cooler temperatures of fall and winter hit, you can take a break from fertilizing as your plant goes dormant. 

All fertilizers contain three primary nutrients: (Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Black Pepper thrives with a balanced ratio of 20 Nitrogen (N), 20 phosphate (P2O5), and 20 potash (K2O) along with other micronutrients. We've got you covered with our all-purpose Fig/Fruiting Fuel, which contains that exact balanced ratio.

✂️ Pruning

Pruning isn't required but it can encourage new growth which will help increase the plant's yield. It can also help the plant stay happy and healthy. Cut right above nodes (the gardening term for thicker parts of the stem where new leaves emerge) to stimulate new growth. 

❄️ Cold Weather Care

Fall sweater weather, the scent of cinnamon brooms, and the flavor of pumpkin spice emanating from the kitchen all signal the beautiful autumn leaves 🍁 we all love turning from green to a crispy orange and yellow; we know that although the leaves have fallen, the trees are still alive and well; they’re just hibernating (in plant terms, going dormant) until the spring season brings a wellspring of new life. 

Compare your city’s USDA plant hardiness zone with the plant’s to see how much cold your vanilla can endure 🥶. If you live outside the zone your plant is listed for, you’ll want to help it keep warm. The best way is to grow it indoors.

In the cold of fall and winter, your Black Pepper may not be as vibrant green as it is during the growing season. No need to fear though; once the season changes, it will green up from receiving more sunlight and fertilization.

Learn more in our Overwintering Guide.

🍎 Fruiting and Harvesting

Since you're starting with a plant baby, fruiting time can take anywhere between 3-5 years after planting. Once you start to see blooms, fruit will likely be on its way 6-8 months following. 

The berries start out green and are ready to harvest once they turn red. Spread out evenly and allow to dry out in the sun for around 1 week until the berries' skin shrinks, turns black, and hardens. Then use a grinder or mortar and pestle and voila! You have your very own Black Pepper. 

🕷️ Common Pests

🐈 Toxic to Pets?

🤔 Troubleshooting

What are the clear crystals and black flecks on my Black Pepper leaves? No fear! Those spots are not pests and are not harmful. They are naturally occurring cystoliths (a word which means mineral outgrowths that store up nutrients and moisture for the plant). They start out as clear and crystal-like and become black flecks as they dry out. These spots are very normal and healthy for this and many other plants.

How should I care for my Black Pepper Plant after it arrives? Please give your plant a little TLC after its journey through the mail 📬. Here are a few steps we recommend:

• Unwrap immediately to provide fresh air to the plant and soil.
• Wait a few days before exposing to full sunlight so your plant can adjust after being in a dark box for several days.
• Always protect from heat and cold because temperature extremes can be stressful or deadly for plants.
• Water. Your baby plant may be parched and even a little wilted but thorough hydration will help it recover.
• Grow out in a larger pot to increase your chances of success—i.e., a quarter gallon—Then transplant to the ground or the next pot size up once the roots fill to the bottom. This will help the plant get sufficient water and nutrients directly to the roots.

Learn more in our After Arrival Care Guide. 

What size pot should I use? We highly recommend growing your baby plant out in a larger pot 🪴 to increase your chances of success 🏆. Repotting helps focus the water and nutrients directly towards the roots. If the pot is too large or if your baby is planted in the ground, the water and nutrients have more room to spread to the wrong places where they aren’t needed. This can be extra detrimental to a baby plant that needs all the support it can get as it’s growing up.

You don’t have to repot immediately, but the sooner you do, the more room it has to grow. 

Here are some general repotting tips:

• Start with a pot that's 1-2 inches larger in diameter than the starter-sized pot it came in. A pint or quart would be great.
• Lightly wrap sphagnum moss around the plant and place in the new pot.
• Transplant to the next pot size up once the roots fill to the bottom.

Learn more in our Repotting Guide. 

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