Long pepper is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. Long Pepper are tiny berries that merge into a long and conical shape about 1.5 inches long and slightly tapered. They are either used whole, crushed with a mortar and pestle, or broken up and used in a spice grinder.

Their flavor is similar to black pepper but with more complexity. They are sweeter, somewhat earthy with gingery undertones. The vines start fruiting 6 months after planting. The fruit is dark green when immature and blackish-green when fully mature.

A fully grown spike should be harvested before ripening when they start turning blackish green in color. Three to four pickings can be taken depending on the maturity of the spikes. The harvested spikes are sun dried for 4-5 days.