Piper nigrum? But no peppercorns?

[TNAndy]

I have a plant that was sold to me as Black Pepper (Piper nigrum).  There are lots and lots of flowers, but none of the flower spikes has ever grown a peppercorn.  They start off green, turn yellow and shed lots of pollen, then turn brown and fall off.  I've had it for about 3 years.  It's growing in an 18 inch square, 12 inch high planter.  I keep it in my heated sunroom over the winter.  I'm giving it partial shade.






If you are familiar with Piper nigrum, can you verify that is what this is?  I'm pretty sure this is something in the Piper genus, but I'm beginning to doubt it's nigrum.

If you grow Piper nigrum, can you suggest what I might need to do to get peppercorns?

Thanks!

[polux]

In fact it is not the Piper nigrum. These plants are frequently sold across whole EU as true P. nigrum, but it is probably P. kadsura easier for indoor growing but only as a decorative plant. True peppercorn has different leaves and you must get the clonal variety which develop the fruits without polination, otherwise you will need female and male plants for succesfull fruiting. Many other species of wild peppers are dioecious (P. cubeba, guineense, retrofractum, longum etc.)

[TNAndy]

In fact it is not the Piper nigrum. These plants are frequently sold across whole EU as true P. nigrum, but it is probably P. kadsura easier for indoor growing but only as a decorative plant. True peppercorn has different leaves and you must get the clonal variety which develop the fruits without polination, otherwise you will need female and male plants for succesfull fruiting. Many other species of wild peppers are dioecious (P. cubeba, guineense, retrofractum, longum etc.)

Thanks.  So you're pretty sure this isn't simply a male and if I had a female I might get peppercorns?

Do you have a picture of the leaves of a known P. nigrum?

[polux]

Yes, leaves of true P. nigrum looks different. I can take pictures of both. Today I notice some spontaneous germinating seeds from last year crop.

[roblack]

piper nigrum

[TNAndy]

Are Piper nigrum plants strictly dioecious?  In other words, are there males (only produce pollen), females (no pollen but bear seeds), and no self-fertile plants?

Clearly the Piper kadsura I have is a male (only) since it produces worlds of pollen but I've never seen a seed.

Thanks for the images.

[polux]

Thanks roblack, those are true black pepper leafs.  My plant is monoecious because it is plantation variety. But seedlings from their fruits can be both - monoecious or dioecious. Better is propagation by cuttings.

[Mike T]

I grow pepper and get plenty of peppercorns without a male. The first isn't a pepper but Rob's leaves are a bit wider than usual.