Giant pepper plants in the land of fairies.

In Tien Land - the name locals often use for Tien Phuoc district, Quang Nam (formerly), now part of Da Nang city - there are pepper gardens with trees decades old, their vines as thick as an adult's wrist.

A pepper plant that has been growing for 40 years in Mr. Quá's family - Photo: LE TRUNG

Pepper vines and plants are usually only about the size of a finger, but here there are many pepper plants with thick stems. These are native pepper varieties, known as Tien Phuoc pepper.

A firsthand look at these "giant" pepper plants.

In Tien Phuoc, pepper has been cultivated for a very long time. Today, many locals still preserve numerous pepper plants that are decades old, with thick, lush trunks.

Mr. Nguyen Van Qua's pepper garden (59 years old, Hamlet 5, Lanh Ngoc Commune, formerly Tien Hiep Commune, Tien Phuoc District) has nearly a hundred plants, dozens of which were planted in 1986, making it 40 years old today.

This is one of the few pepper gardens that still retains some of the "giant" pepper plants.

"The family's legacy, the pepper plants that were planted when I was a young man, and now I'm almost sixty years old," Mr. Quá confided.

He pointed to a pepper plant with many vines clinging to it (a type of pepper plant). The main stem was as thick as an adult's wrist, and the smaller stems, thicker than a thumb, clung to it. The leaves were lush green, and clusters of fruit grew densely from the base to the top.

According to him, people often plant pepper vines that cling to the trunks of trees such as milkwood, Terminalia catappa, and Terminalia argus...

Giant pepper plant in a resident's garden.

He said that each year during the harvest season, each pepper vine in his family's garden yields more than 0.5 kg of dried peppers. Each year, the pepper garden produces over half a quintal (50 kg), with a stable selling price of 450,000 - 500,000 VND/kg of dried peppers, and recently reaching a record high of 600,000 VND/kg.

"Currently, the pepper crop is selling well, and each harvest brings in tens of millions of dong for the family, covering living expenses," Mr. Quá recounted.

According to him, growing pepper is economically efficient, requires little effort, only watering and fertilizing. In Tien Phuoc, there are many pepper gardens with large pepper plants, some at least a decade old, others several decades old.

The Tien Phuoc pepper growing region has hilly or undulating terrain scattered across altitudes ranging from 100 to 180 meters above sea level, with an average slope of 10 to 30 degrees.

The pepper harvesting season runs from April to July, when the weather has the highest number of sunshine hours and the lowest humidity. Harvesting is done in multiple stages, each spaced about 1-2 weeks apart.

Pepper plants are in season, bearing clusters of fruit.

Tien Phuoc pepper has been granted geographical indication.

Previously, the Intellectual Property Office ( Ministry of Science and Technology ) issued a decision granting a geographical indication registration certificate for Tien Phuoc pepper.

According to the protection certificate, the People's Committee of Tien Phuoc commune is the organization representing the communes assigned to manage the geographical indication "Tien Phuoc" for pepper products, with the protected geographical area covering the communes of Tien Phuoc, Lanh Ngoc, Thanh Binh, and Son Cam Ha.

Tien Phuoc pepper has long been renowned for its rich aroma, distinctive spicy flavor, and high quality. According to geographical indication documents, the product comes in three main forms: green pepper, black pepper, and white pepper.

Black pepper contains 6.82-7.17% piperine and 2.47-2.67% volatile essential oils, while white pepper contains 7.32-7.44% piperine, creating a distinctive spicy flavor that is unmistakable compared to peppers from other regions.

Scientists have determined that the unique quality of Tien Phuoc pepper is the result of a special combination of endemic natural conditions and the traditional farming practices of the local people.

Pepper is grown in hilly, gravelly areas with a climate characterized by large diurnal temperature variations and high sunshine hours, which helps the pepper plant accumulate higher levels of essential oils and piperine.

Tien Phuoc pepper

Besides natural factors, the people maintain traditional farming methods such as using live stakes, arranging pepper rows in an east-west direction, and prioritizing the use of manure, organic fertilizers, and microbial fertilizers.

Tien Phuoc pepper also bears a strong historical and cultural imprint. From the beginning of the 17th century, pepper was one of the important trade commodities of the Dang Trong region, traded through the Hoi An trading port.

Numerous historical documents from scholars both domestic and international acknowledge Tien Phuoc pepper as a valuable product with a long-standing reputation.

Protecting the geographical indication "Tien Phuoc" for pepper products is of significant importance in establishing a legal basis to protect the reputation, quality, and origin of the product. It facilitates the organization of quality management and control, traceability, and market development.

Mr. Nguyen Hung Anh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tien Phuoc commune, said that the granting of geographical indication registration certificate for Tien Phuoc pepper opens up great opportunities to enhance brand value, increase the competitiveness of the product in the market, contribute to promoting agricultural economic development, and improve the income and living standards of the people.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hong, Director of the Department of Science and Technology of Da Nang City, being granted a geographical indication protection certificate is only the beginning. More importantly, it is crucial to effectively manage, exploit, and develop this intellectual property in practice.

In the coming period, Tien Phuoc commune and other communes within the geographical indication area must continue to effectively manage and control product quality. They must strictly maintain specific production processes, build a traceability system, and establish identification labels. Furthermore, they must strengthen promotion and trade facilitation, expanding markets for pepper products.

A pepper plant that has been growing for nearly 40 years.

Tien Phuoc pepper products

A lush pepper vine clings to the tree trunk.

Clusters of lush green fruit

Many of the pepper plants are decades old.

Mr. Quá's pepper garden brings in tens of millions of dong in income each harvest.

A pepper plant

Granting of geographical indication registration certificate for Tien Phuoc pepper product.

LE TRUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhung-cay-ho-tieu-khung-o-xu-tien-20260525164055266.htm