Javanese long pepper
Piper retrofractum

Family: Piperaceae

What it is like

A climbing shrub. It grows 5-10 m tall. The stem is 3-4 mm across. The leaves are sword shaped and taper to the tip and are unequal at the base. They are 10-12 cm long by 3-4 cm wide. Male and female flowers are on separate plants. Female spikes are 4 cm long while male spikes are 5 cm long. The fruit are oval berries. The spikes are red. Possibly now Piper chaba

Used as a medicine in Indonesia. There are between 1000-2000 Piper species. They are mostly in the tropics.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows on dry soils. It grows in deciduous forests on poor soils up to 600 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Cambodia, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, SE Asia, Thailand, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The fruit can be used as a spice. They are dried and then added whole to curries and pickles.

It is a cultivated plant.

Edible parts

Fruit, spice, flower

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from cuttings. Plants are pruned to make them flower.

Its other names

Local names

Bi ba, Cabe jawa, Cabe rambat, Chab, Chabe alas, Chabe sula, Chabean, Chai, Chavala, Chavi, Choi, Dei plei, Di pli, Gachha, Lada panjang, Seu kaa meu, Tieu doi

Synonyms

Piper officinarum C. DC.; Piper longum Blume non L.; Piper chaba Hunter non Blume;