The Genus Piper
Family Piperaceae
This is a large genus of vines, shrubs, and trees native to warm climates in Africa, Asia, North America, South America. A few species are used commercially. The best known must be the tropical vine, Piper nigrum, whose seeds are ground for black pepper.
The Piperaceae is a large family that ranges around the world in the tropics. It includes herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees. Besides Piper, the only genus cultivated in the Coastal Southeast is peperomia (Peperomia.)
The Piperaceae is a large family that ranges around the world in the tropics. It includes herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees. Besides Piper, the only genus cultivated in the Coastal Southeast is peperomia (Peperomia.)
Piper auritum
Piper auritum
root beer plant
This is a vigorous, clumping herbaceous perennial capable of reaching ten feet or more in height. The bold leaves have a strong root beer or licorice aroma when crushed. These leaves are used for cooking in Mexico. The leaves contain a weak carcinogen, saffrole (also found in sassafras.) Saffrole is banned as food in the United States. Grow it in a well-drained soil in full sun or part shade. As a garden ornamental, it can spread rapidly in a site with ample fertility and moisture. Evergreen further south, this plant dies to the ground when temperatures drop in the upper 20's F and recovers in spring. I found one report that it survives winters in zone 8a.
This plant is uncommon in nurseries and catalogs. Plants are propagated easily by division and by stem cuttings.
My plant dies to the ground when temperatures drop into the mid- to upper 20's F. It has survived winters in which the low temperatures dropped into the upper teens F. It does not tolerate drought well. New leaves emerge in mid-March but active growth does not begin until April.
This is a vigorous, clumping herbaceous perennial capable of reaching ten feet or more in height. The bold leaves have a strong root beer or licorice aroma when crushed. These leaves are used for cooking in Mexico. The leaves contain a weak carcinogen, saffrole (also found in sassafras.) Saffrole is banned as food in the United States. Grow it in a well-drained soil in full sun or part shade. As a garden ornamental, it can spread rapidly in a site with ample fertility and moisture. Evergreen further south, this plant dies to the ground when temperatures drop in the upper 20's F and recovers in spring. I found one report that it survives winters in zone 8a.
This plant is uncommon in nurseries and catalogs. Plants are propagated easily by division and by stem cuttings.
My plant dies to the ground when temperatures drop into the mid- to upper 20's F. It has survived winters in which the low temperatures dropped into the upper teens F. It does not tolerate drought well. New leaves emerge in mid-March but active growth does not begin until April.
Piper kadsura
Piper kadsura
hardy pepper vine
This is an evergreen vine capable of growing straight up a tree trunk. It is reported to be dioecious so a single plant will not produce seeds. It grows well in shade in a well-drained soil and responds to irrigation. Catalogs guess that it will be cold hardy in zone 8b and south.
This plant is uncommon in gardens. It may be found in specialty catalogs. Plants are propagated easily by cuttings.
I am always cautious about the possibility of exotic vines escaping into the woods from my yard. My kadsura vine seems to be suitably restrained in an unirrigated part of my garden. It covered the trunk of a sweet gum to a height of about fifteen feet in five years, then shrank back during a period of drought. Over several years, it has grown only about a foot on the ground from the tree trunk. Since it does not produce seeds, it appears to have a low risk of escaping from the original planting. Its behavior might be different in a moister, richer soil, however. My plant is evergreen to the upper teens F. Tiny green flowers are produced in short, unbranched, pendant spikes in April.
This is an evergreen vine capable of growing straight up a tree trunk. It is reported to be dioecious so a single plant will not produce seeds. It grows well in shade in a well-drained soil and responds to irrigation. Catalogs guess that it will be cold hardy in zone 8b and south.
This plant is uncommon in gardens. It may be found in specialty catalogs. Plants are propagated easily by cuttings.
I am always cautious about the possibility of exotic vines escaping into the woods from my yard. My kadsura vine seems to be suitably restrained in an unirrigated part of my garden. It covered the trunk of a sweet gum to a height of about fifteen feet in five years, then shrank back during a period of drought. Over several years, it has grown only about a foot on the ground from the tree trunk. Since it does not produce seeds, it appears to have a low risk of escaping from the original planting. Its behavior might be different in a moister, richer soil, however. My plant is evergreen to the upper teens F. Tiny green flowers are produced in short, unbranched, pendant spikes in April.