Piper aduncum aka Spiked Pepper

Piper aduncum, known as matico, belongs to the pepper family, Piperaceae. Its native range runs from Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean into tropical South America. This includes Brazil, Bolivia and Peru. It grows along roads, streams and forest edges. It also takes hold in cleared land and disturbed rainforest. People gather it from the wild and grow it for several uses.

This evergreen shrub can also form a small tree. The listed garden height is about 16 feet [5 metres]. Its wider reported range is 7–26 feet [2–8 metres]. The crown spreads, and branches often start near ground level. The trunk measures about 0.23 feet [0.07 metres] across. Prop-roots often brace its base. It keeps its leaves year-round. Growers use it as an ornamental plant and for soil cover.

Matico suits wet tropical conditions and needs some direct sunlight. Too much shade limits its size and flowering. It grows best where annual rainfall reaches 1,500–4,000 millimetres or more. It accepts many soil types but does poorly in dry or salty ground. Very free-draining soil suits it only where rainfall is high. Most plants occur below 3,281 feet [1,000 metres] above sea level. Some grow above 6,562 feet [2,000 metres]. Growers can raise it from seed, cuttings or suckers.

Its spread poses a problem outside its native range. It can invade disturbed ground and form dense thickets. New shoots and suckers help it spread. Its value for soil cover therefore comes with a risk. The fruit serves as a spice and has a peppery taste. Reports also describe fully ripe, black fruit as sweet. People cook the leaves as a leafy vegetable. The source lists no known hazards, but this does not establish safety for every use.

Matico has a long history in South American herbal medicine. Traditional uses include wound care and treatment aimed at preventing infection. Research has found several groups of active compounds in the plant. This does not by itself prove that home treatments work. Leaf oil has uses against insects and molluscs. Oil constituents also have uses in scents, soaps and detergents. The pale wood is fairly hard but brittle. People use the small stems for simple building work, stakes, fences and fuel.