Betel Leaf Vine
Piper Betle

days to maturity:
plant spacing: 1 plant every 2 feet
sunlight requirements: partial sun, shade loving
look out for: leaf and foot rot
harvest notes: allow a few moths to establish before harvesting
seasons: spring, summer, fall, winter
perennial

Betel leaf vine, aka ‘sausage vine,’ is a fun rare climbing vine that produces leaves that taste and smell just like sausage! As a relative of black pepper, another tropical vine, it has a similar peppery smell and growth pattern. Their dark, waxy leaves prefer shade to direct sun and their roots ask for slightly acidic, slightly damp soil. Slow to grow at first, betel leaf vine can really take off, producing a beautiful shade structure. The Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead, FL has a large picnic area completely shaded by a mature betel leaf vine. Betel leaf is also wrapped around Areca nut in Southeast Asia and chewed as a mild stimulant.