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In their native territory of tropic America ( including Central and South America and Mexico ) , capsicum are a perennial bush . However , these Robert Frost - supply ship plant life typically are process as annuals in northern clime . grow by pre - Columbian civilisation , pepper fruits have been a staple of cuisines as well as an significant source of spice and medicines in equatorial America and as far away as Asia .
Today , there are numerous type of peppers that range in sizing , color , and varying arcdegree of “ heat , ” as quantify on theScoville Heat Units ( SHU ) weighing machine , a tool for quantifying the gaminess or pungency of different pepper .
Photo: istockphoto.com
1. Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum)
One of the most familiar Piper nigrum types , the odoriferous bell pepper produces thick , soft fruit that develop to be green , scandalmongering , or red and are gamey in vitamins A and C. Their crunchy flesh is tasty when eaten bare-assed in salad or as part of a crudités platter , but they can also taste great in cooked or baked dishes .
Alexander Melville Bell pepper have a tenacious growing time of year , preferring full Lord’s Day and well - draining , loamy territory , with a gloomy - nitrogen fertilizer . They ’re ready to reap in 60 to 90 day .
Scoville heat units : Because Vanessa Bell black pepper miss capsaicin , the active component that produces heat , they have a SHU rating of 0.Our Recommendation : Burpee Great Stuff Sweet Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 7.51.This variety produce large , disease - resistant peppers in copiousness .
Photo: istockphoto.com
2. Banana Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Sweet Banana’)
Another perfumed variety , the banana tree black pepper is duly named for its forcible resemblance to its namesake , with trend , scandalmongering fruit . Often called sweet banana Madagascar pepper for its sapidity , it ’s a meek , intermediate - sizing variety that is actually one of the types of chili peppers , but without warmth . It ’s normally used in salad and sandwiches and on pizza pie .
The plant grow 18 to 24 in high and sometimes want impale . They like rich , well - draining land , full sun , and balanced orlow - nitrogen fertilizer . Harvest is in about 70 days .
Scoville heat units : This sweet pepper ordinarily order at 0 SHU , but can rate as in high spirits as 500 SHU.Our Recommendation : Instant Latch Sweet Banana Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 6.95.These non - GMO heirloom seeds produce yield that reaches about 6 inches at maturity .
Photo: istockphoto.com
3. Poblano Pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annum‘Poblano’)
This pretty heavy , deep light-green , heart - shaped pepper may be familiar to those who eat chile rellenos . It date back to Olmec times in Mexico , around 1400 BCE . gently hot , it is still used in many Mexican dishes . Whendried , poblanos are known as anchos , which have a racy , raisin - comparable sweetness that makes them popular for use in sauces .
Like other pepper , poblanos like fat , well - debilitate territory and full Sunday . Shrubby plant pass only 2 feet marvellous , but produce a mint of fruit that ’s quick to reap in 65 24-hour interval .
Scoville heat whole : soft to average , poblanos are turn over a stair up from banana Piper nigrum , at 1,000 to 2,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Instant Latch Ancho Poblano Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 6.95.This non - GMO , heirloom variety has a good germination percentage , and the fruit grows to about 4½ inches in 75 days .
Photo: istockphoto.com
4. Anaheim Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Anaheim’)
Sometimes squall New Mexico green chile , Magdelena peppers , California chiles ( because they are botanically chiles , not peppers ) , the Anaheim Piper nigrum is named for the California city where they ’ve been produce commercially since 1894 . The well - know New Mexico sort is a relative of the Anaheim modified for heat and flavor . This mild , medium - sizing capsicum is one of the most common in the United States for recipes . Varieties grown for ruby chilli are dried and strung together to make ristras .
Anaheim pepper like sandy , loamy soil , full Lord’s Day , and lots of heat , with temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit . As one of the hot peppercorn type , they postulate 80 sidereal day to reach due date .
Scoville passion unit : like to a poblano , the Anaheim pepper is in the main mild , but has some hot varieties , so it rate 500 to 2,5000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Anaheim 118 Hybrid Hot Pepper Seeds at Gurney ’s Seed and Nursery Co. for $ 5.99.This loanblend has improved performance over other miscellanea , producing large , undifferentiated fruit with good flavor .
Photo: gurneys.com
5. Jalapeño Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Jalapeño’)
One of the type of gullible black pepper frequently used in preparation due to its popular flavor , the jalapeño is a medium - size of it mildly hot chile pepper originating in Mexico . Chipotles are merely dry and smoked jalapeño peppers . The peppers can develop up to 6 inches , but typically are harvested when they ’re between 2 and 3 inches long .
Plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall and bring forth 30 to 40 bright gullible peppers in about 80 days . If left on the vine , they wrench scarlet and have a slightly fruity flavor .
Scoville heat units : Jalapeños tramp from 2,500 to 10,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Mild Jalapeño Pepper Seeds at Ferry Morse Home Gardening for $ 2.19.This variety has a in high spirits germination pace , is easy to grow , and features a respectable tang without a mint of heat .
Photo: istockphoto.com
6. Serrano Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Serrano’)
The Serrano black pepper , appoint for the mountains in Puebla and Hidalgo , Mexico , where it originates , has a flavour similar to the jalapeño , but is substantially blistering . It ’s also smaller , about 1 to 4 inches long , and can be immature , scarlet , brown , orange , or xanthous . The smaller the yield , the spicy it is . It ’s not the good white pepper for drying , but work on well in salsa , sauces , and relishes , and can be roasted .
Plants get through 5 feet grandiloquent and produce up to 50 pepper fuel pod at a time . They favour temperatures above 75 degrees Fahrenheit .
Scoville passion units : This little common pepper has a military rating from 6,000 to 23,000 SHU , with a smaller sizing generally declarative of a high paygrade . Our testimonial : Serrano Chili Pepper Seeds at Ferry Morse Home Gardening for $ 1.99.This variety has a high germination pace and has top feeling while still green or just set out to exchange color .
Photo: istockphoto.com
7. Habanero Pepper (Capsicum chinenseHabanero Group)
pop for its tropical citrus flavor , the habanero is so red-hot , James Cook should wear gloves when treat it . This little Peruvian pepper date back 8,500 days ; today , it ’s used in sauce , powders , and snag , thanks to a hint of smoke smell mixed with citrus flavour . Available in red , orange , dark brown , and well-nigh black , the pepper grows to only 1 to 3 inch long , with smooth cutis on its pod - wrought form .
flora require deep but infrequent tearing androw coversto protect them from too much sun , which dries and cracks the yield . The hotter the peppercorn , the longer the growing season . These are ready to glean in 90 days .
Scoville heat units : Ranked as one of — if not the — hottest chili pepper , the habanero ranges from 100,000 to 350,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Habanero Pepper Seeds at Ferry Morse domicile Gardening for $ 2.19.The 25 seeds in a packet have a high germination pace and can up the heat ante for home cooks .
Photo: istockphoto.com
8. Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Cayenne’)
Most often seen in its dry out and priming coat shape as a spiciness added atop pizza pie or as the primary ingredient of chili gunpowder , the chilli pepper pepper is a slender , taper chili about 2 to 5 inches long . The pepper commence out greenish and ripen to red raging .
initiate in French Guiana , chilli pepper are one of the types of scarlet peppers . This semitropical to tropical plant like well - enfeeble grime , full sun , warmth , and a foresightful growing time of year . yield typically ripens in 70 days .
Scoville heat units : The cayenne pepper pepper is corresponding to the serrano peppercorn in heating plant at 30,000 to 50,000 SHU , although some varieties are multiply to be hotter . Our Recommendation : Gardners Basics Cayenne Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 5.95.These non - GMO heirloom seeds are easy to grow and have excellent germination rates .
Photo: istockphoto.com
9. Cherry Pepper (Capsicum annuumCerasiforme group)
Earning their name due to their resemblance to cherries , cherry red pepper are small ( up to 2 inches ) , round , and red . They have a sugared , succulent flavor . Their fast skin take in them practiced candidate for pickling , but they are also used to flavor cured meat , as a second-stringer for pimento capsicum , or as sandwich topper . They are also commonly made into Karl Popper .
herald from Central and South America , the cherry Madagascar pepper plant prefers full sunlight , well - run out stain , high humidness , and warm temperatures . They ripen in 75 to 80 years .
Scoville heat units : Cherry peppers rate likewise to long pepper at 2,500 to 5,000 SHU , but some varieties can order as low as 500 SHU.Our testimonial : Burpee big Cherry Hot Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 7.66.These seeds have a practiced sprouting rate and produce large cherry peppers .
Photo: istockphoto.com
10. Shishito Pepper (Capsicum annuum var. grossum)
This Japanese capsicum that ’s so trendy at restaurants and James Leonard Farmer ’ marketplace is easy to grow at domicile . The name Shishito , which mean lion ’s point , comes from the pepper ’s blunt tip that looks lionesque . The pepper ’s thin skin makes it good for pan searing , sauteing , grilling , and eating as an appetizer , although Shishitos also make a gracious summation to pizza or other lulu . Mostly mild , the odd Shishito can be savory . The riper the pepper , the spicier .
Compact plant grow about 2 pes marvelous , producing a great crop of 2- to 4 - in yield in about 60 to 65 days . They are traditionally harvested while green . flora can benefit from some support in late summer .
Scoville heat units : This wrinkly , usually mild common pepper rates 50 to 200 SHU.Our testimonial : Seedz Shishito Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 7.88.These heirloom pepper seeds have a high germination charge per unit and typically make plants with an copiousness of fruit .
Photo: istockphoto.com
11. Scotch Bonnet Pepper (Capsicum chinense‘Scotch Bonnet’)
Do n’t be fooled by the name ; this Caribbean Madagascar pepper is a congenator of the habanero and among the hottest around . Its name gain from its resemblance to the Scottish Tam o’Shanter cap — or a lantern . Other names let in Bahama Mama and Jamaican Hot . Only an inch or two in distance , shining chickenhearted , orange , or red-faced in colour , Scotch bonnet has a sweet , fruity flavor with suggestion of apple , cherry , and Lycopersicon esculentum . It ’s used in island dishes such as jerk poulet .
Plants are well-to-do to originate , preferring well - debilitate territory , full Sunday , plenty of water , and staking for reinforcement . Harvest is typically in 80 to 90 years .
Scoville heat units : Scotch cowling is one of the hot capsicum pepper plant , value 100,000 to 350,000 SHU.Our good word : Scotch Bonnet Chili Pepper Seeds at Botanical Interests for $ 4.29.This heirloom pepper grow well in container and is sweetest ( and hottest ) when reap at peak rubor .
Photo: istockphoto.com
12. Ghost Pepper (Capsicum chinense‘Bhut Jolokia’)
Also known as Bhut Jolokia , Ghost capsicum pepper plant comes from Northeastern India and is one of the hottest eatable capsicum pepper plant in the world . From 2007 to 2011 , Guinness recorded this one as the world ’s hottest pepper . Actually a little chili pepper , it ’s usually red or orange and is about 2½ to 3½ inch long . Its skin can be bumpy or unruffled , and is slight than that of other chilli . Half of its heat is in the form of the yield . touch black pepper ’s slightly smoky savor make it a preferent ingredient in chutney and curry .
The works favour temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit or above , with full Sunday and well - draining dirt . They have a foresightful produce time of year of 110 years , and will grow good inhotter zonesor with the help of a nursery .
Scoville heat unit of measurement : With a SHU score of 855,000 to 1,041,427 , Ghost capsicum should be cover with precaution — and gloves . Our Recommendation : Ghost Pepper Seeds at Park Seed for $ 3.95.This ejaculate has a high germination rate and Park Seed provides plentifulness of helpful information about spring up these pepper .
Photo: istockphoto.com
13. Fresno Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Fresno’)
Often confused for red jalapeños , Fresno capsicum pepper plant are hotter , but sweeter , with a balmy and smokier flavor as they mature . Usually harvest green at around 70 to 80 days , Fresno common pepper have more flavor when green and more hotness when red . Growing to 2 to 3 inches , they are slightly curved and have glossy , legato skin . They ’re ideal for salsas , fret , dip , and other dishes .
The plants rise 18 to 30 inches and opt full sunlight and well - debilitate soil .
Scoville high temperature unit : One manner Fresno peppers differ from jalapeños is in heat ; they pasture from a milder 2,500 to 10,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Fresno Pepper Seeds on Park Seed for $ 3.95.This germ has a gamey germination charge per unit and Park Seed provide a lot of grow information for Fresno peppers .
Photo: istockphoto.com
14. Piquillo Peppers (Capsicum annuum‘Piquillo’)
This mild , sweet Spanish common pepper curves and narrows to a point at the destruction of the seedcase in such a means that it resembles a shuttlecock ’s beak , which explains its name . Only 2½ to 3 inches long , it ripen to a vivacious red in about 85 mean solar day on plant that develop to 3 foot tall in full sun .
Piquillo Piper nigrum have a lush sweet tone with smokey , tangy tinge . With thick walls like bell peppers , they can be cooked in the same way , but have a sweet crunch when feed in the buff , and can be roasted or admit in sauce and other peach .
Scoville heat units : Piquillo pepper are sweet and mild , with just 500 to 1,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Sherwoods Seeds Spanish Little Beak Piquillo Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 6.99.These heirloom seeded player grow true .
Photo: istockphoto.com
15. Tabasco Pepper (Capsicum frutescens‘Tabasco’)
The Mexican peppercorn used to make the famous spicy sauce that bears its name is a little , bright red pepper when ripe ( in about 80 24-hour interval ) . They are sweet and bats when fully good .
These 2 - in fruits maturate on bushy plants that can attain 5 feet magniloquent . They prefer full Lord’s Day , well - draining grunge , and warm temperatures of at least 75 degree Fahrenheit . In addition to being the key ingredient in tabasco sauce , these chili peppers can be used in salsa or desiccate to make chili pulverization .
Scoville heat units : Tabasco capsicum have 30,000 to 50,000 SHU , making them a very raging pepper . Our good word : Harley Seeds Tabasco Hot Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 4.79.These non - GMO heirloom seeds have a eminent germination rate and are a U.S. product .
Photo: istockphoto.com
16. Basque Fryer Pepper (Capsicum annuum“Gorria”)
From the Basque area on the border of France and Spain occur a fresh pepper known as the doux des Landes ( odoriferous from Landes , or southwest France ) . With a savour ranging from robust and smoky to angelical and fruity , the Basque Fryer pepper is luscious when eaten peeled , roast , or saute in a miscellany of odorous sauces and dishes , such as the Basque recipe Piperade .
Fruit grows on big , shaggy-coated plants that reach 3 feet marvellous , and is quick to glean in about 70 day .
Scoville heat energy units : This long , odoriferous pepper has a SHU rating of 0.Our good word : Refining Fire Doux de Landes Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 3.99.Doux des Landes Basque Fryer peppers are rare and seeds can not only be intemperate to add up by , but are typically tiresome to evolve .
Photo: amazon.com
17. Padron Peppers (Capsicum annuum‘Padron’)
Spaniards have a saying about this tiny , flavorful common pepper from their rural area : some are raging , some are not . Most are not . Padron peppers are known as sweet , mild , and slenderly kookie . shiny light-green to yellow - green , they have thin skin , an elongated shape , and are about 2 to 4 inches long . Often fry , which releases their sweetness , the black pepper can also be grill .
Plants reach 2 feet tall and prefer full sun andwell - drain soil . They ’re usually ready to glean in 80 to 85 daytime .
Scoville passion unit : The low Spanish Padron Madagascar pepper is mild , betray just 500 to 2,5000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Padron Pepper sow at Grow Organic for $ 3.99.These constitutional Padron Pepper ejaculate from California produce well and can range from soft to red-hot .
Photo: istockphoto.com
18. Rocoto Pepper (Capsicum pubescens)
On the outside , this Peruvian pepper resemble a small Alexander Graham Bell peppercorn in green , ruby-red , orangish , or yellow . But Rocoto peppers are much raging — and they ’re actually a different species , with black seeds , purplish blossom instead of white , and haired leaves . Hot as a habanero , the rocoto pepper has a crisp , fruity flavor with timbre of orchard apple tree and tomato . Its flesh is thick and juicy , making it a campaigner for engorge , sauteing , salsa , or using on pizza .
Domesticated 5,000 years ago , the plant are improbable and vining , prefer fond shade and cooler temperature ; they can even survive mild frost .
Scoville heat building block : The hottest rocoto Piper nigrum are yellowed , but all colors value somewhere from 30,000 to 100,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Red Rocoto Pepper Seeds at Pepper Joe ’s for $ 4.99.Rocoto seeds can be hard to ascertain . Pepper Joe ’s provides selective information and keep for mature these rare peppers .
Photo: istockphoto.com
19. Piri Piri Pepper (Capsicum frutescens‘Piri piri’)
Imported to Portugal from Africa , Piri Piri peppers are small and elongated , resemble Thai chilly . Like them , Piri Piri peppers pack plenty of warmth . Also known as African Birdseye or African scarlet devil , Piri Piri is one of the hottest peppers outside the Capsicum chinense species .
minor , shaggy-coated plants grow an copiousness of small red fruit that points in all directions , and are generally ready to harvest in 80 days . Often used in sauces , marinades , and wet rubs , it adds a citrusy , herbal smell .
Scoville heat units : Piri Piri peppercorn bring the heat , with 30,000 to 100,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Click and Grow Smart Garden Piri Piri Chili Plant Pods at Amazon for $ 9.95.These pepper pods are large and designed for indoor ontogeny .
Photo: istockphoto.com
20. Cubanelle Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Cubanelle’)
Known as the Italian Frying Pepper , the Cubanelle is slightly mellifluous and crunchier than most Vanessa Stephen pepper , with a vibrant clean dark-green color and a shape like a banana . Considered soft , it can sometimes bring balmy heat . Its slight skin , which is slightly purse , induce it in effect for frying , but it ’s also used in salad , general cooking , in yellow mole sauce , and on subs or pizza pie .
The common pepper mature in about 62 to 70 sidereal day on plants that achieve 2 feet tall and prefer full sun and well - draining soil .
Scoville hotness units : Although it can sometimes be a bite savory , the Cubanelle capsicum pepper plant is turn over dulcet , with 100 to 1,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Cubanelle Sweet Pepper at John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds for $ 4.45.These pepper plant are very productive and the yield is various , with a sweet taste perception and mild heat .
Photo: istockphoto.com
21. Pimento Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)
standardised to campana Madagascar pepper , the pimento pepper is a diminished , sweet , heart - influence red capsicum pepper plant with a thick , juicy bulwark that makes the yield a good choice for roasting or dipping . It ’s often used to hooey olives and cheese ; its dry out version is used in paprika . The white pepper has a succulent , sweet-flavored , modest flavor .
Fruits mature in 80 to 100 day to about 3 to 4 inch long on small plants ( up to 2 foot marvellous ) with full sun and well - drained stain . They ’re suitable for container growing .
Scoville heat unit : Pimento peppercorn are sweet and balmy , with 100 to 500 SHU.Our testimonial : Homegrown Seeds Sweet Pimento Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 6.99.These heirloom ejaculate have a 95 percent germination rate for the flora , which bring out a various fruit .
Photo: amazon.com
22. Mirasol Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Guajillo’)
Named for the way these bright violent pepper grow pointed upward , toward the sun ( mirasol mean “ looking at the Dominicus ” in Spanish ) , Mirasol chili peppercorn offer soft , spicy flavour with an tinge of fruitiness . They add heat to salsa , chili , or other dishes . They ’re one of the main chilis used in groin sauce . Their dry out grade is yell guajillo , with a tangy , fruity spirit .
Green and reddish fruit develop to 3 to 5 inch on plants that reach 2 feet tall in full Sunday and well - drain soil . They maturate in 80 to 90 daylight on small plants that contact only less than 2 feet tall ; thus , they make great ornamental plants and can easily be grown in containers .
Scoville heat units : The Mirasol Chili peppercorn has intermediate heat with 2,500 to 5,000 SHU.Our testimonial : Mirasol Mosco Pueblo Chile Seeds at Sandia Seed Co. for $ 2.49.These Colorado seed produce sapid chiles , excellent for red chile sauce .
Photo: istockphoto.com
23. Thai Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Bird’s Eye’)
This possible Mexican native is widely grow in South or Southeast Asian and used in Asian cuisine because it sum up a passel of oestrus , although there are 79 variety with varying layer of warmth . Red or green , these modest , thin chilis grow 1 to 2 inches and are often used in chili powder and curry .
The plants like raging weather , moist soil , and full Sunday . Fruits get on in about 130 day .
Scoville heat unit : Siamese peppers are lie with to be fairly hot , rating 50,000 to 100,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Burpee Big Thai Hybrid Hot Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 6.90.This is a large salmagundi that ’s difficult to feel in stores .
Photo: istockphoto.com
24. Pepperoncini Peppers (Capsicum annuum‘Friggitello’)
Pepperoncini white pepper face like banana tree pepper , but are a little tangier . Also known as Sweet Italian , Tuscan , or golden Greek pepper , they are mostly mild and mellifluous , with a routine of heat and a little gall . Often pickled or used on pizza or in salads and antipasto platters , these small ( 2- to 3 - column inch ) peppers ripen to red , but are mostly retrieve with yellow - green , wrinkled skin .
Plants like strong temperatures , full sun , and well - draining grime . Fruit matures in around 70 days . As peppers turn from yellow to orange , they begin to suffer flavor .
Scoville heat units : Little icteric pepperoncini peppers are angelic and balmy , rating 0 to 1,000 SHU.Our Recommendation : Sherwood Seeds Pepperoncini Pepper Seeds at Amazon for $ 6.99.This is a classic heirloom pepper that is easy to originate .
Photo: istockphoto.com
25. Bulgarian Carrot Pepper (Capsicum annuum‘Bulgarian carrot’)
Also known as Shipka ’s capsicum , the Bulgarian carrot Madagascar pepper features bright orange , glossy , thick skin . It has a fruity sapidity with a temperate amount of heat . That and its thin , crisp , flavoursome pulp make it a skillful selection for salsa , chutney , and roasting .
Fruits of 3- to 4 - column inch length produce prolifically on plants that reach up to 2 infantry . flora produce well in full sunshine , with moist , robust soil , and ardent temperatures . Straight or slightly curved , the sharpen fruit is saturnine green until it ripens , when it turns orangish .
Scoville heat units : Bulgarian carrot Piper nigrum grade between a poblano and a serrano black pepper at 10,000 to 30,000 SHU.Our testimonial : Bulgarian Carrot Pepper Seeds at Sandia Seed Co. for $ 3.99.These heirloom seeds were imported from Bulgaria and are very flavorsome .
Photo: istockphoto.com
The price name here are accurate as of publication on 12/29/2022 .
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