25 SZECHUAN PEPPER Peppercorn Sichuan Szechwan Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Spice Seeds

Description:
Name: Szechuan Pepper
Other common names: Sichuan Pepper, Szechwan Pepper, Chinese Pepper, Flatspine Prickly Ash, Sichuan Peppercorn, Chinese Coriander, Chinese Prickly Ash, Flatspine Ash
Scientific name: Zanthoxylum Simulans syn. Zanthoxylum Bungeanum
Color: Greenish yellow flowers, reddish brown fruit
Plant seeds: Fall sow seeds or cold stratify
Bloom time: Flowers May – June
Harvest: Seeds ripen in October
Hardiness zone: 5 – 9
Plant height: 15 – 20 feet
Plant spacing: 15 – 20 feet
Light requirements: Sun – Part shade
Soil & water preferences: Average
Quantity: 25 seeds
Description: Zanthoxylum Simulans, also known as the Szechuan Pepper plant, is a shrub to a small tree belonging to the citrus family, not the pepper family. The plants can grow in nearly any type of soil, including clay, and can tolerate full shade. The bushes are ornamental with white flowers in clusters that produce 3-4mm pink fruits. The pink shells later open to reveal shiny black seeds. The stems have spines, and the foliage emits a fragrance when crushed. In the fall, the leaves showcase beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and orangey-red. The plants are dioecious, requiring both male and female plants for pollination. The pink seed shells or husks are the edible spice known as Szechuan Pepper, widely used in Chinese and Indian cuisines. The spice can be used whole or ground into powder and is a key ingredient in five-spice powder. Szechuan Pepper offers a robust flavor, stronger than black pepper, with unique citrusy notes.