Black, white, and green peppercorns are all the same fruit but treated differently. Black peppercorns are dried, unripe fruits that have been cooked. ... They come from a tree called the Peruvian pepper tree and are actually more closely related to cashews and other types of tree nuts as opposed to peppercorns.

Can you eat peppercorns from a pepper tree?

However, contrary to its nickname as the “California” pepper tree, Schinus molle originates from the arid regions of northern South America and the Peruvian Andes. It has made its way across the globe and can be found in mild to warm climates. In certain regions, it is considered to be an invasive species.

Where do pepper peppercorns come from?

Peppercorns are actually a tiny fruit, the drupe (a fruit with a single seed in the middle) of a flowering vine known as piper nigrum, grown in tropical regions, native to the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia. Some of the best peppercorns in the world come from the Malabar Coast in the Indian state of Kerala.