Tasmannia stipitata – Dorrigo Pepper (plant)

Description

The culinary quality of Tasmannia stipitata was recognised in the mid 1980s by horticulturist Peter Hardwick, who gave it the name ‘Dorrigo Pepper’, and Jean-Paul Bruneteau, then chef at Rowntrees Restaurant, Sydney. It is mainly wild harvested from the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. Dorrigo pepper has a woody-cinnamon and peppery note in the leaves and the fruit/seed. From Wikipedia. 

Dorrigo Pepper grows 1-2.5 m tall in tall moist eucalypt forest and rainforest, especially Nothofagus moorei forest, the coastal ranges, usually above 1000m., from the Barrington Tops to NE of Tenterfield, common on Dorrigo Plateau. Plants are dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants).

Tasmannia species contain polygodial, the substance responsible for the warm/hot/pungent flavour. The biological activity of polygodial has been reported in the scientific literature to include antifungal and antimicrobial activities, antihyperalgesia, potent attachment-inhibitory activity, insect antifeedant activity, antinociception, vasorelaxation action in vessels of rabbit and guinea pig, anti-inflammatory and antiallergic activities.

“The lack of toxicity of the T. stipitata extracts and their moderate broad spectrum inhibitory bioactivity against bacteria, fungi and Giardia indicates their potential as natural food preservatives and as medicinal agents in the treatment and prevention of microbial diseases.”  Tasmannia stipitata as a Functional Food/Natural Preservative: Antimicrobial Activity and Toxicity. Hart et al. 2014.

Care and Cultivation of Tasmannia stipitata

Tasmannia stipitata likes a full sun or part shade position with adequate moisture and regular fertiliser. Ours have grown very well from winter and throughout summer in very humid and wet seasons.

1 plant (seed grown)