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About
*Zanthoxylum piperitum*, known as Japanese pepper, is a highly aromatic, deciduous shrub or small tree prized in East Asian cuisine for its leaves, young shoots, and fruits (peppercorns). The plant is native to Japan and Korea and is used extensively as a flavoring agent and spice.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant has odd-epinnately compound leaves, alternately arranged, with 5 to 9 pairs of ovate leaflets that have crenate margins. It produces axillary flower clusters, which are yellow-green and about 5mm. The mature fruits are peppercorns of about 5mm, which ripen to a scarlet color.
Distribution & habitat
Its natural range spans from Hokkaido to Kyushu in Japan, the southern parts of the Korean peninsula, and the Chinese mainland.
Cultivation notes
The thornless variety, *Z. piperitum var. inerme* Makino, is widely cultivated for commercial harvesting. In Japan, specialty varieties like budō sanshō are grown in Wakayama Prefecture, and the thornless variety, Asakura sansho, is named after its place of origin in the Asakura district of Hyōgo.
Habitat
- Altitude
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- Altitude Class
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Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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