Okinawan sansho
Zanthoxylum beecheyanum

Family: Rutaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 80 cm tall. Plants are separately male and female. The fruit are small but occur in clusters. Each fruit has one seed.

Where it is found

It is a subtropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Hawaii, Japan, Pacific, USA

How it is used for food

The fruit and bark are used for flavouring. They are a pepper substitute.

Edible parts

Leaves, fruit, bark

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Hire sansho, Sensu, Sensuru-gii, Hire-zansho

Synonyms

Zanthoxylum arnottianum Maxim.; Fagara alata var. beecheyana (K. Koch) M. Hiroe;