Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen, Vines
Vegetable
Origin
India, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Southern Asia
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Red pepper, Orange pepper
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Number of Varieties
75
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, orchards, Temperate Regions
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
12*7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm24.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Green, Light Green
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Dark Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green, Dark Green
Purple, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Circular cordate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Sprinkle water over foliage, Water every two or three days during warmer months
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Remove dead branches, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
10-10-10 diluted liquid fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Do not let fertilizers touch the leaves
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Beetles, Root rot, Rust, Scab
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction
Drought
Flowers
-
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Leafminer, Snails, Squirrels
-
Allergy
Oral Allergy
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Decorating walls
-
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Blackheads
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Fixes Nitrogen, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acid Reflux, Dysentry, Healthy teeth, Inflammation, Oral health
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds
Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Piper nigrum
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Peppercorn, Piper, Black pepper
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
काली मिर्च
पोई
In German
Pfeffer
Malabarspinat
In French
Piper nigrum
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Poivrier noir
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
μαύρο πιπέρι
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Pimenta-preta
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Pieprz czarny
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
nigrum piperis
Spinach Malabar
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Piperales
Caryophyllales
Family
Piperaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Piper
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
110060
1
27800
👆🏻