How to Grow Szechuan Pepper

A home-grown Szechuan pepper provides the unique citrus-pepper flavor without the high price of buying just the peppercorns. While it is possible to grow Szechuan pepper from seed, a few years of work will be required before there's anything to harvest, so transplanting a bush is often the best bet. Szechuan pepper is a deciduous bush — and not actually a pepper plant, although they are related. It's a member of the family Rutaceae, which also includes lemons, oranges and other citrus, and so shouldn't be planted near other citrus trees as it might carry a canker that can attack them.

Mulch
Tree guard

Instructions

- 1
  Plant your pepper in a spot that is well-drained but moist. Szechuan pepper prefers neutral to alkaline soils, but is tolerant of semi-shady to sunny conditions.
- 2
  Spread 2 inches of mulch around the base to deter weeds, which will compete with the pepper for resources and made it hard for the pepper to establish itself. Keep the mulch away from the trunk of the bush.
- 3
  Wrap the base of the trunk with a tree guard to protect it from rabbits and other animals that like to nibble on the young bark.
- 4
  Water your Szechuan pepper whenever the soil begins to dry out. Aim to keep the soil moist but not soggy.
- 5
  Pick the florets whole when the pink seedcases begin to open and reveal their dark seeds, usually as fall begins.
- 6
  Prune your Szechuan pepper plant in late winter or early spring to maintain the desired size.

How to Make a Stuffed Scented Pillow

How to Prune Boxwood Plants

Shrubs