Black pepper Piper nigrum
Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is an evergreen perennial herb in the Piperaceae family, native to Malabar Coast of southern India. It grows 3–6 m (10–20 ft) tall and 80 cm–1.5 m (31 in–4.9 ft) wide, wants part sun to part shade and high water, and is hardy to about 10 °C (50 °F). Space plants about 2.5 m (8.2 ft) apart.
Plan Black pepper in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Black pepper at a glance
| Type | Perennial herb, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Piperaceae |
| Mature height | 3–6 m (10–20 ft) |
| Mature spread | 80 cm–1.5 m (31 in–4.9 ft) |
| Spacing | 2.5 m (8.2 ft) centre to centre |
| Sun | Part sun to part shade, at least 4 h of direct sun a day |
| Water | High; drought tolerance none, waterlogging tolerance none |
| Soil pH | 5–6.5 |
| Cold hardiness | About 10 °C (50 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 12) |
| Heat stress | Likely above about 38 °C (100 °F) |
| Wind tolerance | Low |
| Pollinator value | Low |
| Edible | Yes: berries (peppercorns) |
| Native to | Malabar Coast of southern India |
| Common in gardens of | 🇮🇳 India, 🇻🇳 Vietnam, 🇮🇩 Indonesia, 🇲🇾 Malaysia, 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Is Black pepper toxic?
- People: not known to be toxic
- Cats: not known to be toxic
- Dogs: not known to be toxic
No toxicity reported in ASPCA or standard poison references.
If a child or pet may have eaten part of a plant, call a poison centre or vet straight away.
Companion planting: what to grow with Black pepper
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like part sun to part shade and high water.
Questions about Black pepper
- How far apart should I plant Black pepper?
- About 2.5 m (8.2 ft) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 80 cm–1.5 m (31 in–4.9 ft).
- Does Black pepper need full sun?
- Part sun to part shade: at least 4 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Black pepper need?
- High water. Drought tolerance is none and waterlogging tolerance none.
- How cold-hardy is Black pepper?
- It tolerates about 10 °C (50 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 12.
- Is Black pepper poisonous to cats and dogs?
- For cats it is not known to be toxic; for dogs not known to be toxic; for people not known to be toxic. No toxicity reported in ASPCA or standard poison references.
- What grows well with Black pepper?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Black pepper. Group it with plants that like the same sun (part sun to part shade) and water (high).
Sources and evidence
Evidence grade B (B: extension service or peer-reviewed).
- Plants of the World Online (taxonomy, native range), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
- EcoCrop crop environmental requirements, FAO
Notes and assumptions
- A climbing vine grown up trees or posts; green, black and white pepper all come from it.
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.
Related plants
- Betel leaf Piper betle
- Lolot (wild betel) Piper sarmentosum
- Kawakawa Piper excelsum
- Ashanti pepper (West African black pepper, uziza) Piper guineense
- Baby rubber plant (blunt-leaved peperomia) Peperomia obtusifolia
- Emerald ripple peperomia Peperomia caperata
- Basil Ocimum basilicum
- Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus