(Big Chile Pepper, Chile Pepper)

The large, abundantly produced, relatively mild-flavored fruits of 'Big Chile' are borne relatively early in the season, making it an excellent choice for areas with short summers. Like many hot peppers, it is a member of the Longum group, which encompasses poblanos, serranos, jalapenos, cayenne peppers and various other chilis. These annual vegetables descend from varieties that were grown and selected by Native Americans for thousands of years.

The bushy, knee-high plants bear thin, oval,...

The long, broad cultivation history of the pepper best explains why its fruits come in a myriad of forms tastes and colors, whether they are big or small, hot or sweet, red or yellow.

Native to tropical America, these annuals have been grown and selected by Native Americans since pre-history times. In fact, their specific region of origin is still unknown due to distribution by man. Peppers became available to Europeans when the new and old worlds connected. Since then, many unique selections...

(Black Pearl Ornamental Pepper, Ornamental Pepper)

The 2006 All-American Selections award-winning ornamental pepper, ‘Black Pearl’, is has deep purple-black foliage and colorful small cherry peppers that turn from purple to red. The edible fruits are very, very hot but typically grown for beauty, not consumption. Consequently, nursery growers tend to treat them with chemical pesticides not suitable for edible plants, so be caution should be taken eating from nursery-grown stock.

Cherry peppers are bushy, well-branched plants with rigid stems...

(Black Prince Ornamental Pepper, Ornamental Pepper)

The colorful fruits of the cone pepper ‘Black Prince’ are grown for their ornamental appeal as well as their hot taste. The plants are compact and the peppers small erect, conical and appear singly, not in clusters. The spicy hot fruit is purple-black turning red when mature. Ornamental peppers are generally edible, but care must be taken with plants grown at nurseries for ornamental purposes; they may have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals not suitable for edible plants.

Native...

(Boldog Hungarian Spice Pepper, Paprika Pepper)

The seed for this true Hungarian paprika pepper originated from around the towns of Boldog and Cece in Hungary. An early-maturing paprika pepper, 'Boldog Hungarian Spice' produces long, tapered, green fruits about 55 days after planting seedlings, 80 days for fully ripe, deep red fruits. The peppers reach around 7-inches (18 centimeters) long and have a rich, sweet, spicy flavor with medium heat. This selection is ideal for drying and grinding for homemade paprika spice.

All peppers are annuals...

(Bolivian Rainbow Ornamental Pepper, Ornamental Pepper)

What a festive ornamental hot pepper! The small conical fruits of ‘Bolivian Rainbow’ turn different colors as they mature. These stand bright against the deep purple-hued stems and leaves of this tall bushy pepper.

Native to tropical America, peppers are warm season annuals that have been grown and selected by Native Americans since pre-history times. Those in the conoides group have erect, conical fruits that appear singly and not in clusters. The attractive ‘Bolivian Rainbow’ is a tall...

(Bell Pepper, Sweet Pepper)

The big, blocky, sweet fruits of bell peppers are a garden and culinary favorite. Those of the cultivated variety ‘Bonnie Bell’ are large and four lobed. The plants are vigorous and very productive. Their luscious green peppers are ready to harvest in about 75 days and mature to rich red.

Native to tropical America, these annuals or short-lived perennials had been grown and selected by Native Americans since prehistory times. In fact, their specific region of origin is still unknown due to...

(Calico Ornamental Pepper, Ornamental Pepper)

The cone pepper ‘Calico’ is grown as an ornamental for its multi-colored leaves and showy fruits that turn from black to red. The plants are well-branched, bushy and compact and the peppers small, erect, conical, and solitary (not clustered). Native to tropical America, peppers are brittle-stemmed, warm season annuals that have been grown and selected by Native Americans since pre-history times.

Thin, oval, dark green leaves with cream and purple markings crowd the low, well-branched stems...

(Caloro Hot Pepper, Hot Pepper)

Also known as 'Yellow Jalapeno', 'Caloro' produces moderately hot, bright greenish-yellow chili peppers on virus-resistant plants. Like many hot peppers, it is a member of the Longum group, which encompasses poblanos, serranos, jalapenos, cayenne peppers and various other chilis. These annual vegetables descend from varieties that were grown and selected by Native Americans for thousands of years.

The bushy, knee-high plants bear thin, oval leaves on stiff brittle stems. Inconspicuous white...

(Cappa Round Red Ornamental Chile, Ornamental Chili Pepper)

Bred primarily for the florist trade, this recently introduced cherry pepper bears small, round, brilliant red fruits atop erect stems. Like all culinary peppers, cherry peppers (known botanically as the Cerasiforme group) trace their origin to the American tropics, where they have been cultivated since pre-Columbian times.

The bushy, knee-high plants bear thin, oval, medium- to dark-green leaves on strong upright stems. Inconspicuous white flowers appear in warm weather, followed by small,...