Black, white, pink, green, fragrant: how pepper grows

Ground black pepper is one of the most popular spices in the world, whose taste is familiar to almost everyone. But what kind of plant is this, and where is the favorite seasoning of millions produced? And what is the difference between black and allspice so similar to each other, and what is white and pink pepper? Today we will talk about different types of pepper.

If with red hot pepper everything is relatively simple, then not many can say about where other types of spices come from. So, we will begin our virtual journey through the world plantations of pepper.

Black pepper

Black pepper is the fruit of a perennial creeper called black pepper (lat. Píper nígrum) It is a heat-loving plant, therefore it is impossible to see it in our latitudes. The native land of this type of pepper is the tropical forests of the southwestern coast of the Hindustan Peninsula.

Black pepper grows like a typical vine: it has aerial roots, and the stem reaches a length of 15 meters. This species blooms with small nondescript flowers and forms fruits twice a year. In order to get black pepper, the fruits of this plant are removed immature. They are treated with boiling water, and then dried in special drying machines or just in the sun. As a result of this process, black peas are obtained that are familiar to all of us.

Today, the main producers of black pepper in the world market are Vietnam, India and Brazil. This plant is also cultivated in Indonesia, China and some other countries of tropical Asia.

White pepper

You might be surprised, but white pepper is also the fruit of the black pepper plant. Only to obtain white pepper, the fruits are allowed to ripen, and then they are cleaned of the shell, resulting in only the seeds of the plant. White pepper has a stronger aroma than its black relative.

Green pepper

This spice is also produced from the plant black pepper. For its production, ripe fruits are also used, which are dried using special substances or using freezing.

Pink pepper

In a mixture of peppers, you can often find peas of bright pink (almost red) pepper. These are the fruits of tropical trees from the genus Chinus: soft chinus (Peruvian pepper) and pistachio chinus (Brazilian pepper). The homeland of these two species is the American continent, but today these trees can be found in many regions with a warm and mild climate - from New Zealand and Australia to the southern US states. You should be careful with its use, as in large quantities it can be toxic.

Allspice

Despite the fact that allspice has some external resemblance to black pepper, these are completely different plants. Allspice is the fruit of a tropical plant called medicinal pimento, or Jamaican pepper. This is an evergreen plant of the Myrtle family, whose homeland is Central America.

The ripe fruits of the plant, having a blue-green color, are harvested and dried, resulting in the formation of fruits of a dark brown color. Today, Jamaican pepper is grown not only in the Caribbean, but also in Brazil, India and other countries.

Watch the video: How to Grow Black Pepper Piper nigrum (May 2024).