Red Peppers Capsicum annuum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- KAP-sih-kum AN-yoo-um
- Description
-
Cayenne pepper is a frost-tender perennial in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) native to northern regions of South America and southwestern regions of North America. There are many cultivars available to use as food or as an ornamental.
The peppers require full sun but is heat and drought-tolerant. For best results, start from seed indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date and set seedlings or purchased plants out in the garden after any possibility of frost. It can be temperamental if its roots are disturbed and it prefers full sun and moist, well-drained, rich soil. It is best to keep this plant's soil consistently and evenly moist. To promote a bushy appearance, you can pinch young plants.
There are many varieties with fruits that vary in size, color and shape and range from very spicy to sweet. Flowers are usually small white to purple in clusters during the summer.
Use these plants in the edible garden or as an ornamental to add color to the border or a pot.
Insects Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant has a few potential pests. It is important to look out for aphids, whiteflies, cutworms, pepper maggots, and Colorado potato beetles. This plant is also sensitive to Verticillium wilt (a fungal pathogen) and mosaic virus (which should show a uniform yellow-green mosaic across the leaves followed by wilt).
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Vegetable, Herb and Mostly Native Pollinator Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Aurora'
Ornamental, not edible - 'Basket of Fire'
- 'Black Pearl'
Dark purple almost black leaves in full sun - 'Buena Mulata'
- 'Calico'
- 'California Wonder'
- 'Candelabra'
Ornamental, not edible
Cerasiforme Group
- 'Chilly Chili'
Ornamental, not edible
Conioides Group
- 'Early Jalapeno'
- 'Hot Returns'
- 'Mad Hatter'
No heat but the prolific production of a habenero pepper - 'Purple Flash'
- 'Sweet orange'
- 'Sweet Sunset'
Cherry Peppers
Cone Peppers
Red Cone Peppers Grossum Group
Sweet Cone Peppers
Chili and cayenne peppers - 'Aurora'
- 'Aurora', 'Basket of Fire', 'Black Pearl', 'Buena Mulata', 'Calico', 'California Wonder', 'Candelabra', Cerasiforme Group, 'Chilly Chili', Conioides Group, 'Early Jalapeno', Fasciculatum Group, Grossum Group, 'Hot Returns', Longum Group, 'Mad Hatter', 'Purple Flash', 'Sweet orange', 'Sweet Sunset'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Aurora'
Ornamental, not edible - 'Basket of Fire'
- 'Black Pearl'
Dark purple almost black leaves in full sun - 'Buena Mulata'
- 'Calico'
- 'California Wonder'
- 'Candelabra'
Ornamental, not edible
Cerasiforme Group
- 'Chilly Chili'
Ornamental, not edible
Conioides Group
- 'Early Jalapeno'
- 'Hot Returns'
- 'Mad Hatter'
No heat but the prolific production of a habenero pepper - 'Purple Flash'
- 'Sweet orange'
- 'Sweet Sunset'
Cherry Peppers
Cone Peppers
Red Cone Peppers Grossum Group
Sweet Cone Peppers
Chili and cayenne peppers - 'Aurora'
- 'Aurora', 'Basket of Fire', 'Black Pearl', 'Buena Mulata', 'Calico', 'California Wonder', 'Candelabra', Cerasiforme Group, 'Chilly Chili', Conioides Group, 'Early Jalapeno', Fasciculatum Group, Grossum Group, 'Hot Returns', Longum Group, 'Mad Hatter', 'Purple Flash', 'Sweet orange', 'Sweet Sunset'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Capsicum
- Species:
- annuum
- Family:
- Solanaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Edible and used as a seasoning
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tropical North and South America
- Wildlife Value:
- Birds are immune to the capsaicin in peppers and can safely eat the fruits with no ill effects. Therefore, these plants may attract birds. Host plant for Potato Tuber Moth.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- deer resistant
- Edibility:
- Fruits edible, but spiciness is unpredictable in intensity.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 8 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Edible
- Houseplant
- Vegetable
- Warm Season Vegetable
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Good Dried
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruits are a non-pulpy berry and vary considerably across cultivars. Some are long, thin, bright red, and spicy; others are thick, large, and sweet-tasting; others still are small and in ornamental shapes and colors, grown as decoration.
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-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small white to purple flowers appear in clusters in summer, but are not particularly ornamental.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Ovate leaves (to 3” long) that are deep green. Some cultivars emerge green but quickly turn shiny black. Leaves retain good color throughout the growing season.
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-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Nodes may darken to a purple shade.
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Houseplants
- Walkways
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Heat
