Even 500 years ago, pepper was a sought-after trading commodity - the valuable spice was brought to Europe by traders and valued in gold. The old insult “pepper sack” refers to traders who became rich through trading the spice.
Where does pepper originally come from?
Pepper has its origins on the Malabar Coast in southwest India. Today the spice is also grown in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil. The real pepper is a tropical climbing plant of the family Piperaceae.
Characteristics and appearance
The real pepper, also known as black pepper or pepper bush, is a plant from the pepper family (Piperaceae). The pepper genus includes around 1,000 different species, all of which are native to the tropics. Piper nigrum, the botanical name of the real pepper, is a climbing plant that grows up to ten meters high. Similar to ivy, the woody shrub climbs up jungle trees, but in commercial cultivation it is only kept at a height of three to four meters. The spherical stone fruits are used, which, like currants, grow in panicles of up to 150 berries each. The plant is - typical of a tropical plant - evergreen and bears flowers and fruit all year round, although it is usually only harvested twice a year. A single pepper bush can be harvested for up to 30 years, with the maximum annual yield being around four kilograms per plant.
Pepper originally comes from India
The homeland of pepper is the Indian Malabar Coast between Mangalore and Cape Comorin on the Arabian Sea in southwest India. The very rainy region is also known as the Pepper Coast. Around 1,000 years ago, pepper reached Southeast Asia in what are now the states of Malaysia and Indonesia. The spice was brought to Europe by traders in ancient times. Today, in addition to India, Malaysia and Indonesia, Vietnam and Brazil are also among the main producing countries. The pepper bush is often cultivated in mixed cultures with bananas or coffee. Since it is a tropical plant that needs high humidity and a lot of heat all year round, cultivation in Germany is only possible in heated greenhouses (€219.00 on Amazon) or winter gardens.
Tips & Tricks
When Christopher Columbus set out to find a sea route to India, he discovered America instead. From there the European conquerors brought the Spanish pepper with them - the chili. Chili or peppers are much easier to plant in your home garden than real pepper.
