O common and decorative climbing plant from Sulawesi

The name 'Ornatum' comes from Latin and means decorated. This pepper plant grows quickly and can get quite large if it thrives.

The leaves are peltate (the stalk attaches a bit into the leaf), up to 25 cm in size and have a strong contrast between the sunken nerves and the rest of the leaf surface.

Young leaves are often intensely pink in the veins, with lighter pink shades and small dots between the veins. The background is dark green and slightly bubbly in structure. Over time, the colors become more silvery, especially in bright light, while the pink shades persist longer in weaker light.

Botanical description

Piper ornatum belongs to the Piperaceae family and is native to Sulawesi where it grows climbing or creeping in moist, shady rainforests.

The plant is very vigorous in growth and can become significantly larger than many other ornamental peppers, making it an impressive specimen when given space to develop.

Care.

Pepper thrives best in warm, humid conditions, but it actually does well in regular indoor environments. Give it a climbing support, such as a trellis or a moss stake , so it can climb up. It also works well in hanging baskets or as a ground cover in larger plantings.

Place in a bright place but without direct sun, then pepper grows best. It can handle slightly shadier places, but growth will be slower. The temperature should not fall below 18 °C. Keep the soil slightly moist but not wet, and plant in well-drained, nutrient-poor soil. During the growth period, you can fertilize sparingly with green plant nutrition at half the dose. Buy Piper ornatum online!