Common Name: Hoja de Santa Maria

General Information

Piper auritum is a large, coarse, somewhat succulent, sparsely branched perennial plant growing around 2 metres tall[]. Rarely, the plant becomes woody below and more tree-like in habit, growing up to 6 metres tall.
The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for its leaves, which are used as a flavouring in foods.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western S. America, north to Mexico.

Habitat

Moist or wet thickets or forest, often in second growth, at elevations up to 1,800 metres, but usually below 900 metres[]. Often forms dense thickets in abandoned land, partly on account of the great abundance of seeds produced[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	2.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

When crushed, the stems and leaves emit a strong smell of aniseed[].

Edible Uses

Young leaves - occasionally cooked and eaten as greens[]. The leaves become limp as soon as they are picked[].
The leaves have the flavour and aroma of sarsaparilla[]. They are used as a flavouring in soups and other dishes[]. The leaves are wrapped around tamale dough before it is packed in corn leaves and steamed[, ].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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