Pepper family. Homeland - tropical areas of C. and Yu. America, Europe and Asia. There are about 2,000 species in nature. These are herbs, and vines and shrubs. Plants of this genus have nothing with the vegetable that is grown in the garden. Bell peppers (aka red peppers, aka sweet peppers) belong to the genus Capsicum.
But black pepper peas - the most representative of the pepper family - its botanical name Piper nigrum. Of course, it is grown on plantations, on an industrial scale in order to obtain fruits (small drupes about 5 mm) - spices known all over the world. But some flower growers, exotic lovers, grow black pepper in pots. It is very ornamental, the leaves neat, heart-shaped, about 8-10 cm in diameter, pointed at the end, bright green. Outwardly, the black pepper bush is similar to a clerodendrum, requires a garter to the support, or is grown as an ampel plant - shoots can grow several meters in length, form aerial roots.
- Piper crocatum saffron pepper is an evergreen vine that forms aerial roots that cling to the support. Its leaves are elongated-ovate, pointed at the end, up to 10 cm long. The surface of the leaf is dark green, with whitish spots along the veins, the reverse side is lilac-red. The flowers are small, collected in axillary spike-shaped inflorescences, of no decorative value.
- Intoxicating pepper Piper methysticum, or "kava-kava," is an evergreen vine with large heart-shaped leaves, pointed at the end, slightly asymmetric in shape. The leaves are opposite, with pronounced venation, a little like the leaves of begonia. The leaf surface is dark green, creeping shoots, the plant is grown with a support or in hanging planters. The intoxicating pepper Piper methysticum gets its name from the fact that its leaves contain the substance Kavalactone - a substance that can affect the central nervous system, is used in medicine due to its analgesic, anticonvulsant, nootropic and sedative properties. As
- an ornamental shrub in countries with a tropical climate, other types of peppers are grown, for example, Piper auritum. This pepper has pleasant taste of leaves, which allows it to be used as a spice - leaves are added to soups, to stews, and at the same time used to treat snake bites, infusions are prepared for headaches, colds and hypertension.
The local population in their homeland - the islands of Polynesia, Melanesia, Hawaii, the roots of Intoxicating Pepper were used to produce a drink with sedative and anesthetic properties. But the harm from the use of kava-kava (it is hepatotoxic, addictive) is recognized as too significant, kava is prohibited as a cash crop in many countries. Nevertheless, as an ornamental plant, it is grown.
Pepper - care and home cultivation
Temperature: Normal in summer, optimal for growth 20-24 ° С. In winter, a little cooler - about 18-20 ° C, but not lower than 15 ° C - pepper is a heat-loving plant.
Lighting: Bright diffused light or light partial shade. On hot summer days, a mandatory shade from the sun in the afternoon. The best place is the window sill of the east or northwest window.
Watering: Plentiful in summer - after the soil at the top of the pot dries. In winter, with a decrease in temperature, watering is rarer, and if it is warm at home, then it is common, as it dries. Decorative peppers do not tolerate chlorine in water and high hardness. Therefore, filtered or boiled water is used for irrigation.
Fertilizer: From April to August, they are fed with liquid fertilizers for ornamental and deciduous plants, every two weeks. The fertilizer should not have an alkaline reaction.
Humidity: Pepper requires very high humidity. In addition to spraying plants twice a day, the pots are placed on wide pallets with wet moss or peat.
Transplantation: Annually in spring, and if the soil is covered with a salt crust, you need to replace the top layer of the earth. Soil from a mixture of the 1 part of the greenhouse earth, the 1 part of the sheet earth, the 1 part of the humus and the 1 part of the sand or gravel crumb (2-3 mm). An important condition is good soil drainage, it should not cake and stick together. For better loosening, sand can be replaced with vermiculite or coconut substrate.
Reproduction: Stem cuttings, less often seeds (seeds germinate poorly, seedlings grow very slowly) and only with good exposure and high humidity (in mini-heat).
Growing problems
- The leaves turn yellow, become sluggish - with massive yellowing, the cause may be waterlogging of the soil, especially in winter at low temperatures. With a lack of nutrition, the leaf turns yellow gradually, from the tip .
- The leaves turn yellow, dry brown spots appear on them - with insufficient watering, or opposite excessive (determine by touch on the ground).
- The leaves are pale transparent, then turn yellow - with excess sunlight, on the southern or western window without shading .
- The lower part of the stem is exposed, the new leaves are small - with a lack of lighting, and also, if the soil is depleted, the soil is snapped.
- The dry, brown tips and edges of the leaves are too dry indoor air at high temperatures. If there is a slight yellowing, then the reason may be the tightness of the pot or lack of nutrition.
- Pepper pests - tick and thrips are more likely, see pests section for signs.