Black Pepper

Origin: South India

Family: Piperaceae
Scientific Name: Piper nigrum

Folk Names: Peppercorn (fruits)

Magical

Element: Fire
Day: Tuesday
Planet: Mars
Zodiac: Aries
Associated Celebrations: AutEx
Deities: Ares/Mars, Hecate, The Morrigan

Magical Properties: Protection, courage, exorcism, purification, strength, clarity, banishing

Substitutions: Chilli

Aromatherapy

Part Used: Berries
Extraction Method: Steam distillation
Flash Point: 50°C

Scent Type: Spicy
Perfume Note: Middle/base
Scent Description: Warm, spicy, and strong

Aromatherapeutic Uses

Warming and stimulating: good for muscular aches/pains, sprains, arthritis, and promoting circulation.

Warnings:

• Avoid during pregnancy.
• Can cause skin irritation: use only in extremely low dilutions.
• Sensitising: use sparingly. Overuse can cause kidney damage.

Botanical

Type: Woody vine
Plant Height: 4m
Leaves: 5-10cm long, 3-6cm across
Flowers: Small flowers on long, hanging spikes
Fruit: 5mm dark red fruit with a central seed

Etymology: Pepper comes from the Sanskrit pippali (long pepper)