Pacific Northwest Gardening: HAVE LIST / WANT LIST FOR PNW ROUNDUP EXCHANGE, 0 by mauryhillfarm

mauryhillfarm wrote:
Yes, Pix, I'd happily take a Pinguicula. I also have potted up some orange and green variegated Libertia which I think you wanted.

The Japanese pepper tree is not technically pepper like you have on your table with the salt. The small fruits of the tree do look exactly like little pinkish-red pepper corns, but the outer husk splits open to reveal a black seed inside about the size of a spinach seed. From what I have read, it is the outer husk which is ground up and used in Japanese cooking. It does have a lemony, slightly peppery taste, but it also contains some kind of mildly anesthetic compound and causes slight numbing of the lips if you chew on a tiny piece (this I know from personal experimentation). It is a weird sensation

My tree turned into more of a shrub which I must figure out how to prune more effectively. It does have some serious, though short, thorns on the branches. The fall color is fabulous.

Now that I see the picture larger than thumbnail size, that is the little 'pepper' fruits hanging onto the branches after the leaves have fallen.

Pony, you are entirely welcome to a pepper tree. They are very small right now, and will take maybe 5 years to get to the fruiting stage.

This message was edited Jul 29, 2009 10:22 AM

This message was edited Jul 29, 2009 10:24 AM