How to Grow Betel Leaf Plant | Complete Growing Guide

Growing Betel Leaf Plant is not difficult but you need to be aware of its requirements. This rare, mildly stimulant herb can also be grown in containers, even indoors in the part sun!

betel leaf plant Betel leaf plant (piper betel) is a creeper grown in India. It belongs to the pepper family. Its waxy green, heart-shaped leaves are used for medicinal and culinary purposes. When crushed, it exudes cool peppery scent. It’s used in making a famous dessert called ‘Paan’ which is chewed with betel nut as a mouth freshener. This mildly stimulant herb is popular in whole South Asia (Indian subcontinent), Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

LEARN HOW TO GROW BETEL LEAF PLANT, FOLLOW THIS SHORT GUIDE.

USDA Zones: 9 to 11, *can be grown as an annual in colder zones

Difficulty: Moderate

Planting Season: Spring and early summers in a cold climate. But anytime in a warm, tropical climate.

Other Names: Wild pepper, kadok, bai cha plu, daun kaduk, betel pepper, la lot, paan, piper betle, pan, paan patta

It’s a perennial herb, which can also be grown in containers and hanging baskets. You can grow it from cuttings and root division. It thrives well in a subtropical and tropical climate but growing betel leaf plant in a cold climate (as an annual, mostly) is also possible with extra care, in containers.

Growing Habit

Plant’s primary stem grows up to 1 m. long, after that it forms creeping stems having heart-shaped leaves that contain mild scent and exotic white spike-like flowers. It can be either trained as a climber or grown as a ground cover.

Propagation & Planting Betel Plant

It’s better if you buy a plant from a nursery, however, if you want to propagate it from cuttings, take about 18 cm long stem. Make 45 degrees cut using a sharp knife just below the leaf node. Remove all leaves from the cutting except the top 2 leaves. Put the cutting in a glass of freshwater and place it on a spot like a windowsill in indirect sunlight. Keep changing the water every 2 days. Once several roots appear, transplant it into a deep container or in the ground.

Requirements for Growing Betel Leaf Plant (Paan)

It prefers slightly acidic, sandy-loamy, and lightly damp soil but not waterlogged. Use the well-drained potting mix to plant it in a way that water will drain out from it quickly. Pick a less windy spot with partial shade for planting. *Choose a medium-sized deep planter, if you’re growing it in the container.

Betel Leaf Care

growing betel leaf plant 1. It thrives well in a hot and humid environment in partial shade. The betel plant needs regular watering.

2. Prune regularly after it reaches 2-meter height to control the plant, regular pruning and plucking of leaves encourage new growth and sweet and tender leaves.

3. Occasional feeding every couple of months in the growing season of the plant with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer is recommended. Alternatively, you can side dress the plant with aged manure or compost 2-3 times in a year.

4. (In cold climate) Keep it indoors in winters when the temperature starts to fall below 41F (5C) in a warm and cozy room under grow light. It becomes dormant in brutal cold and sometimes shed its leaves too, but get to grow again in spring and remain in growth until fall.

In such conditions keep care of watering, overwatering can cause root rot.

Pests and Diseases

It’s not pest-free of course, and attacked by red mites occasionally, which can be treated with insecticidal soap. It also suffers from fungal diseases, especially in rainy season or when overwatering is done. To save the plant, watering should be reduced. Leaf blight is another problem which affects betel plant in which brown and black oily patches cover the leaf. Leaf blight can be treated by simply pulling off the infected leaf or stem.

Harvesting

Within four to six months after planting, it’ll be ready for harvest. You can pick off the fresh aromatic leaves for various uses.

Betel Leaf Plant Medicinal Uses

Betel leaf is a rare herb except in Asia, though it has many medicinal benefits. The leaves are especially helpful for clearing the bronchial passages, cough, and cold and for the female reproductive system. Click here to learn more about the medicinal uses of the betel leaf plant.

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This exotic herb has many culinary and medicinal uses, if you know all of its growing requirements it is not difficult to plant it!

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55 COMMENTS

  2. Hello,
    Please help me to know what seeds do you sow to start a plant? I do not get any vines here in Canada. Where can you buy this plant in Toronto?

  4. Very good site. I love planting , have a green house and indoor plants . Trying very hard to save them from the cold snowy weather .

    • im interested in betal leaf or betal leaf juice export in other countries.please guidance and more information? thanks

  5. Thanks for your tips. My new plant in a pot is just two months old and shooting up quite well. Growing betel plants is the easiest way for planting lovers.

    • hi i would like to know about your betel pant, how its grown now. do you know where i could get one. in toronto, on. thank you

  11. Hi,
    Can you send me information how do I get plant, I mean what seeds I need to get to get the plants. I greatly appreciate response.
    Thanks
    Shan

  14. Plant is growing bit weak and leaves are too small …what should be done for growing big leaves…pls help me. What are the best mannure for best growing.

  18. Quite informative article but without giving the source from where the plant can be procured.i think that information js must with this article. I am interested to have this plant.

  23. I have Piper Sarmentosum. If you are interested, go to my store on Etsy.com
    My name on Etsy is: SpecialtyThings or you can just search for Piper Betel
    I have small, medium, and large plants that are up to 24 inches tall

    I also sell the largest Poper Betel on Ebay.
    My ebay user name is Sweet_Titan

  26. Betal leaves can be home grown in pots. However, commercial production of the crop is done specially constructed climate controlled house to get optimum production and maintain profitability. There are more than 90 varieties of betel vine in the world, of which about 45 are found in India. Betel leaf is grown in tropics and subtropics for its evergreen leaves that are used in religious events and as a chewing stimulant.
    New plantation is always done by stem cuttings.

  27. Below are the tips to grow betel plants better.

    Dried cow manure – Use only one or two big table spoons per plant for every 4 weeks.
    Neem Oil Extract :- Mix Three drops of Neem oil with 1 liter of fresh water and spay for any disease like fungal infections etc.. or healthy grow.

  28. i hv space at roof & wish to grow betel leave plant. hv water/sun light/shadow spare etc. how i get seed for this job? how i grow it etc

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