Piper Species, Wild Betel Leaf, Wild Pepper

This plant is relatively easily cultivated, appreciating dappled or partial sun, moisture, and warmth. It is suitable for containers and ...Read Moreis easily overwintered indoors, or can even be grown as an indoor house plant without issue. It is a very attractive plant that gives both a striking tropical aesthetic and culinary value.

This species is a small shrub that grows to a nominal height (e.g. 3' / 1m), and sprouts ground runners that may wind their way for a considerable distance. I sever these runners when bringing container specimens indoors for the winter, but rooted runners have withstood moderate overnight freezes to 25F (-4C), gone dormant, and emerged again in the spring. As such, this plant is probably winter hardy through at least Zone 9, and as possibly as far as Zone 7-8 with a good mulching.

This plant is often misidentified in western commerce, being misrepresented as "Piper betle." This is an easy mistake to make, and many have made it. Placing the two side-by-side reveals the differences (see image). Similarly, whereas the leaves of P. sarmentosum have a mildly aromatic flavor, the leaves of P. betle have a strong, spicy flavor that rivals ginger root in potency.

This plant is known as "La Lot" in Vietnam, and serves as an important culinary leaf vegetable. It is easily propagated by rooting viable cuttings, including those obtained from the fresh herbs section of a Vietnamese grocery. It glossy aromatic leaves provide a subtle, but delicious flavoring accent to sandwiches and stews. It is most famously used for "Bo La Lot", which is basically sauteed minced beef and garlic, wrapped into individual leaves, and dipped into sweetened fish sauce. This makes for a tapas-like finger food that is particularly delicious, and reason enough for this discriminating gardener to own this plant.