Mountain pepper
Mountain pepper (Litsea cubeba) is a small tree or large shrub in the laurel family (Lauraceae), the same plant family as bay laurel, cinnamon, and avocado.
At first glance, the plant may not seem particularly remarkable. However, when a leaf or fruit is crushed between the fingers, it releases an intense lemon fragrance. This scent is due to the plant's high content of citral, the same aromatic compound found in citrus fruits and lemongrass.
In China, mountain pepper has been used for centuries. Its small fruits are used as an aromatic spice with both citrusy and spicy flavour notes. The fruits, leaves, and bark have also been used in traditional folk medicine to treat digestive complaints, nausea, and respiratory ailments.
Today, the plant is best known for its essential oil. The oil is extracted from the ripe fruits and is used in perfumes, soaps, cleaning products, and cosmetics as an alternative to citrus oils. The world's largest production is found in China, where large quantities of the oil are distilled from plantation-grown fruits each year.
Although few people know the plant by name, many encounter its fragrance in everyday life. Its fresh lemon aroma is widely used as a natural alternative to citrus oils and is found in a wide range of scented products. Mountain pepper is therefore an example of a plant that most people have experienced without realizing it.
In trade and the perfume industry, the plant is known by its Chinese name may chang, which can be translated as "the spice tree of the mountains."
Facts
- Location in the Greenhouses: Mountain Forest House
- Danish name: Bjergpeber
- Latin name: Litsea cubeba
- Family: Laurel Family / Lauraceae
- Native range: Asia