Zanthoxylum piperitum
Origin: Japan, Korea, China (via Belgium)
Improvement status: Cultivated
Seeds per packet: ~10
BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED
Life cycle: Perennial
A close relative to Szechuan peppercorns, the fruits of this thorny, deciduous shrub or small tree are more commonly used in Japan, where it's called "sanshō" (or "mountain pepper", 山椒), and Korea, where it's called "chopi" (초피), than their better-known Chinese relatives. The plants are native to Japan, from Hokkaido in the north to Kyushu in the south, as well as the southern Korean peninsula and parts of mainland China. The leaves, flowers, and fruit are used for both culinary and medicinal purposes, and cause a similarly spicy and numbing sensation when consumed. The powdered dried fruit is an essential ingredient in Chinese "five-spice powder." Young leaves are eaten either cooked or raw, commonly in soups or salads. Botanically, it's found in the Rutaceae family, along with garden rue and citrus fruits (no shortage of strong flavors in that family!).
The tree blooms in April to May with small yellow-green flowers. It is dioecious, and the flowers of the pollen-producing ("male") plants can be eaten as "hana-sanshō," while the female flowers yield berries (called "peppercorns") of about a fifth of an inch across. In autumn, when these berries ripen, they turn scarlet-red and burst open, revealing a shiny black seed inside.
The Plants for a Future team has compiled this rundown of its potential medicinal uses: "Antiperiodic, antitussive, carminative, diuretic, parasiticide, stimulant. The fruit contains an essential oil, flavonoids and isoquinoline alkaloids. It is anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, and stomachic. It inhibits the synthesis of prostaglandin and, in larger doses, is toxic to the central nervous system. It is used in Korea in the treatment of tuberculosis, dyspepsis, and internal parasites. The resin contained in the bark, and especially in that of the roots, is powerfully stimulant and tonic.
Our Belgium-grown seed comes from the good folks at Sheffield's Seeds in Locke, NY.
GROWING TIPS: Soak seeds and cold-moist stratify for 90 days. Plant after removing from fridge, 1/4 inch deep, and keep warm (75 degrees F or higher). Does best in USDA Zones 5-9. Tolerant of a range of conditions, from full shade to full sun.
NOTE: The photo of young leaves for sale as food in Japan comes from user Nesnad and is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. The photo just showing ripe fruit with a blurry background comes from user ltyoppyawit under the same license, as is the photo of the pile of Japanese peppercorns, from user Archaeodontosaurus, as is the photo of the seeds popping out of the fruits, from user Alpsdake.
