the betelnut palm immortalized be Bloody mary in the hammerstein musical South pacific has been spread tropical Asia and the pacific where it is cultivated for the food storage tissue(endosperm)
inside the seed when chewed of a pepper vine piper betle and ground lime a narcotic stimulant is released Prolonged use stains the gums and teeth palm itself makes a lovely specimen with its bodly ringed trunk and smooth green crownshaft but is very cold sensitive are quite tolerant of shaded connditons