Tasmannia stipitata – Dorrigo Pepper (seed)

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.

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.

Care and Cultivation of Tasmannia stipitata

Tasmannia stipitata seed should be sown just under surface of good seed raising mix in full sun to part shade. Untreated seeds can take 6-9 months to germinate. Most likely cold stratification is needed as a pre treatment, GA3 may also help break this dormancy. Likes a full sun or part shade position with adequate moisture and regular fertiliser.

25 seeds per packet