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.

What is the difference between pepper and peppercorn?

As nouns the difference between peppercorn and pepper

is that peppercorn is the seeds of the plant piper nigrum commonly used as a spice, usually but not always ground or crushed while pepper is a plant of the family (taxlink).

Does peppercorns come from Peppers?

Pepper is the most common spice in the world. The peppercorn is actually the fruit of the plant, and depending on when it is harvested, processed, and dried, it can produce black, green, or white peppercorns. ... Piper nigrum, the black pepper plant, grows as a vine and may attach itself to nearby trees for support.