Black pepper (Piper nigrum)

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is  a perennial, woody vine growing up to 4 m tall on supporting trees, poles, or trellises.

The small, round, berry-like fruits, known as “drupes”, grow in clusters called “spikes”.  A dried drupe is a “peppercorn”. 

Depending on harvest time and processing, peppercorns can be black, white, green, or red. For black pepper, drupes are picked while still green, fermented, and sun-dried until they shrivel and turn a brownish-black color.

Black pepper is native to Malabar, Southwest India. It is now cultivated around the globe and the most traded spice in the world.