Share your pictures? Hide split images
I have read and agree the terms and conditions of service.
Collector's item

Zanthoxylum piperitum Black Magic

Zanthoxylum piperitum Black Magic (Purple Leaves)
Sichuan Pepper, Japanese Pepper, Korean Pepper, Sansho, Japanese Prickly Ash

4,2/5
9 reviews
0 reviews
1 reviews
0 reviews
2 reviews

Planting in October 2020. Dead aerial parts during winter. New shoot in spring of 15cm (6in) which eventually died. Response from Promesse de Fleurs. Sorry for the failure to revive your plant, contact us at 0361760810 for replacement or refund. Kind regards.

Fabien, 04/09/2021

Leave a review → View all reviews →

Why not try an alternative variety in stock?

Out of stock
32,50 € 3L/4L pot
1
29,50 € 3L/4L pot
Out of stock
32,50 € 4L/5L pot
1
From 49,00 € 4L/5L pot
2
From 22,50 € 3L/4L pot

Shipping country:

Schedule delivery date,

and select date in basket

This plant carries a 24 months recovery warranty

More information

This is a recent selection of a Sichuan pepper tree, which is even more decorative than others. It is distinguished by its young leaves that are well-coloured in bright purple-violet. This large deciduous bush has strong thorns and is very aromatic. In addition to its beauty, it also offers stunning autumn colours in the garden. This plant is hardy, tolerant, and vigorous, and it can adapt to any well-drained soil.
Flower size
4 cm
Height at maturity
3 m
Spread at maturity
2.50 m
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -20°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
plantfit-full

Would this plant suit my garden?

Set up your Plantfit profile →

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to June
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Flowering time May to June
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Description

The Zanthoxylum piperitum 'Black Magic' is a rare form of the Sichuan Pepper, highly sought after by collectors: its delicate fern-like leaves are remarkably coloured in shiny chocolate-purple. Like its Asian ancestors, sometimes called Clavalier, this bush has remarkably aromatic foliage, but unlike its ancestors, it does not produce aromatic fruits. The combination of small flowers and foliage taking on shades of golden purple in autumn is superb in this Chinese pepper tree that will be decorative 9 months out of 12. Fantastic as a stand-alone, it is also ideal as a free hedge, and its young, thorny branches are lovely in a defensive hedge.

 

Native to the Sichuan province, located in southwest China, the Zanthoxylum piperitum is widely spread from Japan to Vietnam. It is part of the same family as citrus trees, the Rutaceae family, with which it shares a highly aromatic foliage. Zanthoxylum is a group of plants that look very similar, making them tricky to tell apart. People usually use things like how many leaves they have or what the flowers and thorns look like to figure out which one is which. This large bush loses its foliage in winteroccasionally withstands -18°C (1°F) and develops in well-draining and sufficiently deep soil. Late frosts can, however, harm flowering and burn its young shoots. The Chinese pepper tree is extremely tenacious and can grow in any condition except for dense shade.

 

Growing quickly in moist and fertile soil, this 'Black Magic' pepper tree measures an average of 3m (10ft) in height with a similar spread at maturity. Its habit is elegant, naturally bushy and spreading, supported by flexible branches. The trunk and young branches are adorned with flat thorns that broaden significantly at the base over the years while their tips become blunt. They eventually form curious growths that resemble large warts. The branches, of a brown-purple colour, bear leaves arranged alternately, 7 to 15 cm (3 to 6in) long, divided into 11 to 23 small ovate and glossy leaflets, toothed at the edges, producing essential oils and small barbs. When crushed, they emit a scent that is spicy, woody, lemony, and slightly peppery but mild. Their colour successively changes from purple-violet to dark green, and then they take on yellow, orange, and pink-purple hues in autumn before falling. The flowering already appears on 3 or 4-year-old plants (since sowing)It occurs in May-June, more or less early depending on the climate, on one-year-old branches. It consists of small clusters or cymes about 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2in) in diameter, composed of small cup-shaped flowers in a yellow-green colour. This selection only has male flowers, so the plant cannot produce fruit.

 

This beautiful bush, with its fascinating foliage and unusual bark, deserves a special place. It can grow into a beautiful tree if planted in isolation. You can trim the lower branches up to 1 metre (3 feet) from the ground to reveal its tall, bare trunk. Alternatively, it can be planted in an untrimmed hedge alongside other plants such as dogwoods, rowans, viburnums, Osage oranges, ornamental apple and cherry trees, or honey locusts. 

 

The Zanthoxylum has thorny young branches, making it an excellent choice for a defensive hedge. You can combine it with Poncirus trifoliata, Rosa moyesii, Japanese quince Cido, seabuckthorn, and more to create a defensive hedge.

 

 

Zanthoxylum piperitum Black Magic in pictures

Zanthoxylum piperitum Black Magic (Foliage) Foliage
Zanthoxylum piperitum Black Magic (Plant habit) Plant habit

Plant habit

Height at maturity 3 m
Spread at maturity 2.50 m
Habit spreading
Growth rate fast

Flowering

Flower colour insignificant
Flowering time May to June
Inflorescence Cyme
Fragrance slightly scented
Fruit colour red

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour purple
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased
Foliage description Spicy, peppery, lemony fragrance.

Botanical data

Genus

Zanthoxylum

Species

piperitum

Cultivar

Black Magic (Purple Leaves)

Family

Rutaceae

Other common names

Sichuan Pepper, Japanese Pepper, Korean Pepper, Sansho, Japanese Prickly Ash

Origin

China

Product reference8737111

Other Zanthoxylum - Prickly Ash

Out of stock
32,50 € 4L/5L pot
Out of stock
From 20,50 € 2L/3L pot

Available in 2 sizes

Out of stock
32,50 € 2L/3L pot
1
29,50 € 3L/4L pot
1
From 49,00 € 4L/5L pot
Out of stock
32,50 € 3L/4L pot

Planting and care

If you want to grow the 'Black Magic' Sichuan pepper plant, it's best to do it during spring in cooler climates or early autumn in drier and hotter climates. When choosing a location, ensure it's sheltered from cold and dry winds that could damage the plant's flowers and young shoots. The plant likes sunny locations and well-drained soils that are deep and fertile. It can tolerate soil with clay and limestone and acidic soils that are not too poor. If you keep the soil slightly moist in summer, it will grow quickly. Once the plant is established, it can survive without watering in summer, except in hot and dry climates. It's resistant to -18°C (1°F) but is more sensitive to frost in its young years, especially in heavy and humid soil. To make the soil lighter, you can add river sand, gravel, or pumice. In very cold regions, you should protect young plants with winter coverings and mulch the base.

The Chinese pepper plant is easy to grow and requires little maintenance. If you're planting it in a free hedge, it's recommended to plant one every metre. It's not susceptible to any specific diseases or pests in gardens. To protect young plants from herbivores like rabbits, you can use a fence if the area is not enclosed. When pruning the plant, it's best to avoid doing it in autumn, as this will sacrifice the following spring's flowering.

Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time February to June

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow
Type of use Border, Free-standing
Hardiness Hardy down to -20°C (USDA zone 6b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Neutral, Any
Soil type Clayey (heavy), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, ordinary but deep, flexible and well-drained.

Care

Pruning instructions If you want spring flowers, avoid pruning in November, as they grow on branches that are one year old. Instead, prune regularly to promote colourful new growth, but be aware that this may come at the expense of flowering.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time November
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground
4,2/5
No reviews
No reviews

Hedge shrubs

19
From 14,90 € 2L/3L pot

Available in 4 sizes

Available to order
21,50 € 2L/3L pot
Out of stock
From 24,50 € 7.5L/10L pot

Available in 2 sizes

90
From 4,30 € 8/9 cm pot

Available in 2 sizes

7
From 14,90 € 2L/3L pot
11
From 12,50 € 2L/3L pot

Available in 3 sizes

4
From 18,50 € 3L/4L pot
15
From 8,50 € 1.5L/2L pot

Available in 2 sizes

263
50% 2,45 € 4,90 € Bare root

Available in 5 sizes

Haven't found what you were looking for?

We only deliver seed and bulb products to your country. If you add other products to your basket, they cannot be shipped.