It comes in different colors, shapes, sizes, it is used fresh, salted, pickled and dried, used as a seasoning, medicine, garden and home decoration, and even — weapons! And all this is red pepper.
However, names of this popular vegetable of the nightshade family, too much Abundance of names is because, first, culture is very widespread around the world, and, secondly, in nature there are many forms and types of this plant from 20 to 100.
They differ in the degree of sharpness (from very sharp, which can burn the hands and respiratory tract to slightly sharp and spicy), the size of the fruit (from 0.5 to 30 cm), original shapes and colors.
- There are, for example, varieties whose fruits resemble cherries in shape, and they are called (‘Cherry’);
- There are similar to bells or mushrooms (‘Bell’ or ‘Mushroom’), or a cardinal’s hat (‘Bishop Crown’);
- With a nose like a Scorpion’s sting (‘Trinidad Scorpion’ – recognized as the world’s sharpest pepper);
- And of course the most diverse cones — as truncated, and fusiform, prismatic; directed tip up or hanging down, smooth or wrinkled.
Conquer hot Mexican peppers not only spectacular shapes and sharp taste, but also a burning beauty: fiery shades of scarlet, yellow, orange flowers (sometimes all at once on one Bush), if such fruits are collected in a bundle, then together they look like flames.
No less decorative are almost white, peach, lemon, purple, purple, chocolate varieties of red pepper. They look especially elegant when one Bush simultaneously blooms white (and sometimes purple) flowers and hanging fruits of different colors (depending on the degree of maturation). But that’s not all, recently appeared in the sale of varieties of ornamental pepper with dark purple or variegated (variegated) leaves. The pepper bushes themselves differ in size and shape, there are high (indeterminate), there are miniature, appeared and basket or semi-basket varieties.
This tropical crop has shown an amazing tolerance to growing conditions: hot pepper in the middle zone can be grown in a greenhouse, in the open ground, in a container garden, in indoor conditions. It is easy to propagate by seed (through seedlings) or vegetative (cuttings) methods. Bushes easily transfer transplanting in a flowering and fruiting form from the pot to the soil and back. Therefore, in the fall, they can be dug out of the garden, transplanted into a pot and brought into the house.
For those who like it hot
Early maturing (85-95 days) hybrid of ‘Petitot F1’. On a Bush with a height of only 15-25 cm, up to thirty conical bright fruits are formed simultaneously (5-6 pieces in a bundle), changing color from white, yellow, orange, purple to red.
A little higher (30 cm) Bush in the variety ‘Little miracle’, and the fruit is also very decorative and as it Matures, it changes color from cream-yellow to red through purple. The size of these peppers is small, but the character is quite sharp. In addition, all of them are characterized by tireless abundant fruiting.
In the same row (small, early and hot) are varieties and hybrids ‘Elf’, ‘Bonfire’, ‘Loco F1’, ‘Apache F1’, ‘Cayenetta F1’, ‘Chenzo F1’. And the variety ‘sun Splashes’ fruits are Golden in color. The compactness of these plants allows you to place them even on a small windowsill or in a tiny container garden on the balcony.
High-yield cold-resistant hybrid ‘Basket of flame F1’ due to its semi-basket form is ideal for growing in a hanging planter. The plant forms a branching shrub, 30-35 cm high and up to 60 cm in diameter. The period from emergence to maturation is 87-95 days. The conical shape of the fruit changes color as it Matures from dark purple through cream and orange to bright red, the taste is sharp.
Pepper ‘Sweet red truffle F1’ – a high-yielding early-maturing hybrid. Plant height 70-80 cm. Sweet fruits weighing 15 g are suitable for stuffing with cheese and other fillings, as well as for preserving whole.
All these varieties are good in themselves, and in combination with peppers with rounded fruits. Such as the medium-ripe ‘Hot cherry’. The plant is small, compact, during fruiting all dotted with juicy, but bitter “cherries” (2.5-3.5 cm in diameter).
Beautiful small smooth glossy fruits of the ‘bead’ variety, their color in technical ripeness is purple, in biological-orange, the taste is sharp.
Extremely decorative ‘Black Pearl’ and ‘Black Prince F1’ with almost black leaves and black round fruits, gradually turning red.
Very original looks like a variety of ‘Troll’ – on a low spreading Bush with variegated (green-purple-white) leaves and lilac flowers grow small cone-shaped fruits that change color as they Mature from green to purple and red.
Those who like it hot should pay attention to the very hot orange variety ‘parsley Cap’, and fans of the original forms will like ‘Flying moth F1’ (bell-shaped fruit) and tentacled peppers of the variety ‘Medusa’.
Important: the Sharpness of bitter pepper depends not only on the variety, but also on the climate: the more sun the plant gets, the sharper the taste of its fruits.