Sechuan Pepper Collection

The eye catching Sechuan (Sichuan) Pepper collection.

1x Zanthoxylum bungeanum- Sechuan Pepper (10cm tall)

Seeds of this plant are used as a pepper substitute in the Far East but also the fruits and leaves, even its bark are used as a condiment. An unusually thorny shrub with composed leaves and numerous small, red fruits that show a black shiny seed when opening in the Autumn. Zanthoxylum piperitum is a medium sized shrub, easy to grow, drought tolerant and not fussy to soil conditions. The foliage turns a spectacular orange and yellow during the Autumn. Its spines don't die but grow with the plant, becoming a showy feature on the trunk of older plants (with a 4-5cm long base). It is dioecious in theory but we found that most plants will fruit on their own. The Japanese Pepper Tree / Sansho is suitable for smaller gardens, by a wall or in a border, but also good for the patio if grown in a container. It also makes a good bonsai.

2x Zanthoxylum piperitum - Japanese Pepper Tree, Sansho (8cm tall)

The Sechuan / Sichuan Pepper is for the plant hunters who aren’t afraid of adding a bit of quirkiness to their garden or patio. Not only are the fragrant fruit husks enjoyed in cooking, but their quirky appearance with their alligator-skin like bark and yellow to pink autumn colours are impossible to ignore.

Very similar to the Japanese Pepper tree, but the Chinese Pepper Tree is native to China. The seed pods of this plant are used as a pepper substitute in the Far East but also the fruits and leaves, even its bark are used as a condiment. An unusually thorny shrub with composed leaves and numerous small, red fruits that show a black shiny seed when opening in the Autumn. Zanthoxylum simulans is a medium sized shrub, easy to grow, drought tolerant and not fussy to soil conditions. The foliage turns a spectacular orange and yellow in Autumn. Its spines don't die but grow with the plant becoming a showy feature on the trunk of older plants (with a 4-5cm long base). One plant usually fruits well, but even better if you have several planted close to each other. It is suitable for smaller gardens, by a wall or in a border, but also good for the patio if grown in a container. It also makes a good bonsai.

1x Zanthoxylum giraldii - Sechuan (Sichuan) Pepper (10cm tall)

Zanthoxylum giraldii is a very prolific fruited version of Sechuan / Sichuan pepper, it fruits abundantly and mostly on its own. A beautiful compact shrub, not too vigorous with a maximum height of 2m or so, well branched in 15 years. It has aromatic foliage and fruits bringing a wonderful scent to your garden. The dried seedpods are known to be used as Sichuan Pepper. The deciduous tree can be grown in a pot.

 The intended main use of this plant is to grow food for human consumption. We always recommend further research to learn the different ways in which the food source can be prepared and consumed.