Common Name: Betel Pepper

General Information

Piper betle is an evergreen climbing shrub producing woody stems 5 - 20 metres long. The stems produce adventitious roots, with which they can adhere to other plants etc for support[].
Betel pepper was probably originally native to Malaysia, but it was taken into cultivation more than 2,500 years ago and is no longer known in the wild. It is commonly used as part of a masticatory mix which also involves the Betel palm (Areca spp.) and also has a range of medicinal uses.

Known Hazards

Chewing betel quids can lead to cancers in the mouth and on the tongue[].

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - probably originally from Malaysia.

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild situation.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Climber
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

Betel pepper is a plant of lowland tropical areas , usually at elevations below 900 metres[]. It prefers growing in areas where the mean annual temperature falls within the range 22 - 27°c, but can tolerate 17 - 31°c[]. It thrives under per-humid forest conditions with high relative humidity and ample supply of soil moisture. It flourishes in areas with a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,250 - 4,750mm[].
Prefers a position in shade and also needs protection from the wind[]. It prefers a deep, well-drained, friable loamy and clayey soil, rich in organic matter and with a pH of about 7 - 7.5[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 5.6, but tolerates 4.3 - 6.8[].
Young plants grow quickly and, under favourable conditions, can commence being harvested when only 18 months old[]. Grown under favourable conditions, they usually have larger and less pungent leaves[].
Each vine is picked 3 - 4 (occasionally 5) times a year[]. Leaves are traditionally plucked early in the morning by cutting the petiole with a sharpened steel thumbnail. They should be kept out of the sun to preserve their aroma. Other factors determining chewing quality are cultivar, leaf position and plant age. The best leaves are large, yellow and grow on the upper lateral branches. In Malaysia leaves on the lower lateral branches are regarded as medicinal and are used in preparations applied on ulcers and wounds[].
Annual yields are estimated at 6 - 10 tonnes per hectare, each vine yields 40 - 50 leaves per year[].
When a vine becomes 2 metres long, it produces smaller and poorer quality leaves, so must be rejuvenated by cutting back[]. Regular rejuvenation is achieved by taking the vines off their supports and burying the lower part in the soil. New roots form and the vigorous new sprouts are trained along supports[].
The life of a plantation may vary considerably: from 3 - 4 years in temporary gardens to 30 - 50 years in permanent ones[].
Although only known from cultivation, betel pepper is a very variable species[]. Numerous cultivars exist with leaves differing in size, shape and colour, and in softness, pungency, aroma and bleaching response[]. In Indonesia and Malaysia some cultivars have a clove-like flavour. In India 5 cultivars are known, differing in morphology and essential-oil composition[].
Closely related species, which are also only known from cultivation, are Piper siriboa and Piper chuvya[].
Betel pepper needs support for its growth, which may be provided by trees, bamboo, wooden poles or concrete pillars[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

A mixture of betel leaves and other ingredients is used as a masticatory, which acts as a gentle stimulant and is taken after meals to sweeten the breath. The ingredients of the betel mixture (quid) can vary widely per country or region. The three basic ingredients are often the betel leaf, the seed ('nut') from the areca palm (Areca catechu L.) and lime, produced by burning seashells or slabs of limestone. In the Moluccas and certain regions of Papua New Guinea, the betel leaf is replaced by the inflorescence of Piper siriboa. Other possible ingredients include gambier (Uncaria gambir), tobacco, palm sugar and various spices, such as cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum). The various mixtures provide a wide range of different tastes. Chewing the quid discolours teeth and stains saliva, mouth and lips red. It results in copious salivation, so users have to spit frequently[].
Chewing betel quids can lead to cancers in the mouth and on the tongue[].

Medicinal

The leaves, roots and seeds are all used for medicinal purposes in Asia[].

The leaves are said to be anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, carminative, expectorant, galactofuge, laxative, sialagogue, stimulant, stomachic and tonic[, , ]. Leaf preparations and the leaf sap are applied to wounds, ulcers, boils and bruises. Heated leaves are applied as a poultice on the chest against cough and asthma, on the breasts to stop milk secretion, and on the abdomen to relieve constipation[, ]. The leaves are also used to treat nosebleed, ulcerated noses, gums and mucous membranes while the extract from the leaves is applied for wounds in the ears and as an infusion for the eye[]. A decoction of the leaves is used to bathe a woman after childbirth, or is drunk to lessen an unpleasant body odour[].

The essential oil obtained from the leaves is antibacterial and antifungal[]. It has shown anthelmintic activity against tapeworms and hookworms[] It has been used to treat affections of the mucous membrane of nose, throat and respiratory organs[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is often intercropped with coconut palm and areca palm[].

Other Uses

A yellowish-brown essential obtained from the leaves has an aromatic odour resembling that of creosote and tea, and a burning sharp flavour[]. Important constituents are the phenols eugenol, chavicol, methyl chavicol (estragol) and chavibetol (betelphenol; an isomer of eugenol). However, the composition of the essential oil varies strongly per cultivar[, ]. Leaves from the upper parts of the plant are said to contain more essential oil than those from the lower parts[].

Propagation

Seed -
Cuttings 30 - 45cm long, taken from the tips of vertical shoots[]. Cuttings usually have 3 - 5 nodes and are planted with the lowest 2 nodes buried in the soil. The cuttings are planted in nurseries or, more commonly, directly in the field, where they are planted close together in pits or long mounds. When the cuttings begin to sprout and creep along, they are tied to the support[]

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