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Contact SupplierBlack pepper is obtained from the small dried berries (peppercorns) of the vine Piper nigrum. Black pepper is native to Malabar, a tropical region on the Western Coast of Southern India (part of the Indian state of Kerala). The pepper vine is a perennial ivy-like climber which adheres itself to a support tree or man-made structure. The small (about 0.2 inches), round, berry-like fruits (known as “drupes”) grow in clusters called “spikes”. A dried drupe is known as a “peppercorn”. Depending on harvest time and processing, peppercorns can be black, white, green, or red. Black peppercorns are the most prevalent type harvested. For black pepper, peppercorn berries are picked while still green, allowed to ferment, and are sun-dried until they shrivel and turn a brownish-black color (1, 2).