premium quality timut peppercorn from Nepal Timut pepper

Botanical Name	Zanthoxylum armatum
Common Name	Timur Pepper, Timut Pepper
Family	Rutaceae
Parts of used	Fruits
Distribution	900-2500m
Type of production	Wild Crafted

Zanthoxylum armatum Timur or Timut is a plant with high environmental tolerance, and it grows better in open pasture lands or even secondary shrub forests. With suﬃcient rainfall, it can adapt in temperate habitats of lower warm valleys and the colder habitat of the Himalayas. This plant thrives best in lands with clayey soil rich in fertility and organic contents.

A large-scale propagation of the Timur plant is best done with freshly harvested seeds. However, in the absence of fresh harvest, another propagation technique is terminal stem cutting. Both these methods need speciﬁc techniques and pretreatments. For the Timur seeds to germinate, it usually takes up to 30 days after sowing. The seedlings need to grow 20 to 30 cm before they are ready to be transplanted to the main cultivation land. Terminal stem cutting is best to be carried out during the Monsoon, from July to August.

The cultivating land has to be weed-free and properly plowed before plantation. For 1 hectare of land, it requires around 10 to 12 tonnes of FYM (Farm Yard Manure).

Once the Timur fruits are ripe enough to be collected from May- June, they are dried in the shade until they are ready to be cut for seed extraction. The extracted seeds are then dried further and stored in cool containers.

Zanthoxylum armatum, commonly known as Timur or Timut peppercorn among Nepalese, is an aromatic shrub found mainly in the Southeast Asian region. It falls under the plant family Rutaceae and is scientiﬁcally referred to as Zanthoxylum Armatum. Timur is used for medicinal purposes, essential oils, and even as a ﬂavor enhancer in many cuisines.

Many people confuse Timur with the Sichuan pepper since they look very similar and are sourced from the same plant family. However, their ﬂavor and aroma are entirely diﬀerent from each other. Timur, often known as prickly ash in English, has a strong citrusy aroma and is dark brown in color. In contrast, Sichuan pepper is distinctively reddish and has a ﬂowery aroma. One common property these two shrubs share is their numbing characteristics.

Here are some facts about Timur that you might not be aware of:

Timur is a spinous, semi-deciduous shrub that grows naturally in rainforests, thickets, and in open slopey lands in diﬀerent parts of the Asia continent at elevations from 50 to 2400 meters.

A Timur tree can grow up to 4 to 5 meters tall and has a comprehensive environmental tolerance, which means it can grow in tropical to temperate habitats.

In Nepal, Timur is cultivated in the Salyan district and is grown across the understorey of the lower altitude thickets. Most of the harvest is exported to India and some other foreign countries for medicinal and other purposes.

The ﬂowering season of the Timur plant is from March to June. The valuable seeds come to life during the seeding period that takes place from July to August.

Timur or Timut peppercorn are loved by the birds and are signiﬁcant helpers in disseminating the plant.

The primary chemical constituents of the plant are as follows:

Major components	Percentage
Linalool (30.58%)	30.58%
2-decanone	20.85%
β-fenchol	9.43%
2-tridecanone	8.86%
β-phellandrene	5.99%
Sabinene	4.82%
α-pinene	4.11%

Zanthoxylum armatum, commonly known as Timur or Nepalese pepper, offers several benefits and uses due to its aromatic, medicinal, and culinary properties. Here are some key benefits of Timur (Zanthoxylum armatum):

Culinary Use: Timur is widely used as a spice in Nepalese and Himalayan cuisines. The dried fruits, often referred to as peppercorns, have a unique flavor profile that is citrusy, peppery, and slightly numbing. They add depth and zest to dishes such as meats, stews, pickles, and traditional condiments.

Medicinal Properties: In traditional medicine systems, various parts of Zanthoxylum armatum are used for their medicinal benefits:

Digestive Aid: Timur is believed to aid digestion and alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort.
Antimicrobial: It possesses antimicrobial properties, potentially useful in treating infections.
Anti-inflammatory: The plant’s extracts have shown anti-inflammatory effects, useful in treating inflammatory conditions.

Aromatic and Essential Oils: The plant yields essential oils that are valued for their fragrance and potential therapeutic properties. These oils are used in aromatherapy and skincare products.

Ecological Benefits: Timur plays a role in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem health:

It provides habitat and food for wildlife.
Its cultivation in agroforestry systems can contribute to soil health and erosion control.

Cultural Significance: Timur holds cultural significance in the Himalayan region, where it is used in rituals, festivals, and traditional medicine practices. It is an integral part of local cuisines and customs.

Economic Importance: The cultivation of Timur provides economic opportunities for rural communities, particularly in the Himalayan foothills, where it grows naturally. It supports livelihoods through sustainable harvesting and trade.

Timur is a plant with numerous valuable properties. Almost every part of this plant has some purpose, be it medical or culinary.

Medical Purposes:

Zanthoxylum (Timur) is a plant widely used for its medical properties. It is believed to cure chronic issues like rheumatism and skin diseases, chilblains, cramps in the leg, varicose veins, and varicose ulcers. Timur is also used for therapeutic reliefs in problems like asthma, bronchitis, cholera, fever, ﬁbrositis, indigestion, rheumatism, skin diseases, toothache, varicose veins, malaria, and many more. Timur is used to invigorate the lymphatic system, circulation, and mucous membranes for its stimulating eﬀects.

The roots of Timur also have many uses. They come handy in the treatment of snakebites and also help in digestion issues. Timur seeds and fruits are useful for cleaning teeths as well.

Besides medicinal purposes, Timur possesses high signiﬁcance in the Ayurveda world as well. The essential oil extracted from the Timur seeds is vital in preparing ayurvedic medicines like Tejowatyadya Grita, Tumbawardi Churna.

Culinary Purposes:

Zanthoxylum is a highly aromatic plant used to give a distinctive spicy and numbing ﬂavor in various cuisines. In Nepal, Timur is often used to intensify the ﬂavor of pickles, curies, and even “Chutney” (a paste made of various spices and herbs). Like the highly celebrated use of Sichuan peppercorns in many Chinese cuisines, Timur is also adored in many Nepali cuisines for its unique ﬂavor and aroma.

Other Purposes:

Timur seeds are one the best natural preservatives for food. Besides that, Timur also aids in protection of book shelves from insects and bugs. Some people grow Timur in their gardens or yards solely for the aesthetic.