Capsicum annuum
Botanical Name
Capsicum annuum
Hardiness
Annual
Height
1 to 3 feet
Width
1 to 3 feet
Flowers
Early to late summer: white
Fruit
Bell types; banana types; chili types; sweet to very hot; variety of colors, flavors and sizes
Light
Full sun
Soil
Moist, well drained, organic
Planting and Care
Start indoors and move outside when both soil and air have warmed and danger of frost has past, provide even moisture for best performance, tall varieties or those with heavy fruit may need staking
Harvesting
Pick peppers when the fruits are firm and fully colored. Seperate the hot and mild peppers during harvest and storage to avoid surprises.
Problems
Aphids, borers, cucumber mosaic virus, blossom end rot
Varieties to Consider
'Big Early' Hybrid - thick walled, 8 inches long, sweet, ripens to red
'Caribbean Red' - Very hot, habanero type, red flesh, use carefully
'Filus Blue' - beautiful ornamental with violet tinged leaves, round purple fruit, great in container grouping;
'Caribbean Red' - Very hot, habanero type, red flesh, use carefully
'Filus Blue' - beautiful ornamental with violet tinged leaves, round purple fruit, great in container grouping;
Did you know?
Diary products, especially high fat milk, cheese and sour cream offer relief from the burn of hot peppers. Dairy neutralizes the capsaicin (the compound responsible for the heat) by breaking the stubborn bond between it and your taste buds. To tame the fire it's best to enjoy a little dairy before biting a hot pepper.