Zanthoxylum simulans

Sichuan Pepper, also known as Prickly-ash, is a large shrub or small tree native to eastern China and Taiwan. Renowned for its use as a spice in Chinese cuisine, Sichuan Pepper has a unique aroma and flavor and a heat unlike chili peppers or the piquancy of black pepper. A necessary ingredient in hot pot dishes, this spice adds flavors of citrus, black pepper, and an almost salty savor.

This small statured tree is deciduous with intimidating, yet highly ornamental thorns adorning the branches, looking quite like a rose bush in the winter when it is devoid of leaves. The leaves are pinnate, lofty and also edible, adding a light peppery flavor to a salad or as a garnish on an entrée. The fruits hold well on the tree and are ripe and good to use from mid-summer through early fall. A quick point of clarification: there are several species of Zanthoxylum that all make a similar fruit that can be used as a spice and some of them have male and female plants. Our offering is Z. simulans which is completely self-pollinating and only a single plant is needed for surprisingly high yields.

Cold hardy to USDA zone 5a and above, or to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.