Rutaceae

• Casimiroa edulis
• Choisya ternata
• Citrus limon
• Citrus limon `Ponderosa'
• Citrus medica var. Buddhas Hand
• Citrus reticulata
• Cneorum tricoccum
• Fortunella margarita
• Melicope hupehensis
• Murraya paniculata
• Poncirus trifoliata
• Ptaeroxylon obliquum
• Ruta graveolens
• Triphasia trifolia
• Zanthoxylum simulans

• Query IPNI
• Common Name: Szechuan Peppercorn
• Family: Rutaceae Juss.

• Country of Origin: China
• Habitat:

• Description: Not a true peppercorn, but rather the dried berry/seed of a deciduous prickly ash tree. The 3-4 mm berry has a rough reddish brown shell that is split open and a black seed inside. The black seed is bitter and can be discarded. The red shell can be added whole to stewed dishes or ground to a powder and used a seasoning. The spice has a unique aroma and flavor that is not as pungent as black pepper and has slight lemony overtones.

  Szechuan peppercorns are one of the five spices in Chinese five-spice powder. Called sansho in Japan, they are used in the spice mixture shichimi togarashi, or Japanese seven-spice seasoning.