Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen, Vines
Shrub
Origin
India, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Southern Asia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Red pepper, Orange pepper
Cuphea hyssopifolia
Number of Varieties
735
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, orchards, Temperate Regions
Tropical areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-159-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm30.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lemon yellow
White, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Red, Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Circular cordate
Oblong to lance-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
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Cuttings, Divison, Layering, 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
Needs watering once a week, Requires more often in extreme heat
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
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
Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Fertilizers
10-10-10 diluted liquid fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Do not let fertilizers touch the leaves
14-14-14 Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Beetles, Root rot, Rust, Scab
-
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
Butterflies
Allergy
Oral Allergy
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Decorating walls
Borders, Ground Cover
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
Dysentry, Eye Infection, Indigestion, Organ Stones
Part of Plant Used
Dried seeds
Flowering Tips, Flowers, Leaves, Shoots, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used in herbal medicines
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
Piper nigrum
CUPHEA hyssopifolia
Common Name
Peppercorn, Piper, Black pepper
False Heather, Mexican Heather, Hawaiian Heather
In Hindi
काली मिर्च
Mexican Heather
In German
Pfeffer
Mexican Heather
In French
Piper nigrum
Mexicaine Heather
In Spanish
Poivrier noir
Heather mexicana
In Greek
μαύρο πιπέρι
Μεξικού Heather
In Portuguese
Pimenta-preta
Mexican Heather
In Polish
Pieprz czarny
Mexican Heather
In Latin
nigrum piperis
Mexicanus Heather
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Piperales
Myrtales
Family
Piperaceae
Lythraceae
Genus
Piper
Cuphea
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Lythroideae
Number of Species
1100250
1
27800
👆🏻