Sichuan Pepper and Sansho

Zanthoxylum simulans and Zanthoxylum piperitum

These closely related species come from two types of prickly ash tree native to the mountainous regions of south and central China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India. Sichuan or Szechwan pepper (Zanthoxylum simulans image, far-left) takes its name from the cuisine of the Sichuan province of southwest China – a damp and rainy part of the world known for its spicy food. Sansho (Zanthoxylum piperitum image, near-left) comes from Japan and is one of the few spices used in the cuisine.