Scientific Name:
Capsicum annuum
(ornamental cvs.)
Pronunciation:
KAP-sih-kum ANN-you-um
Common Name:
ornamental pepper
Family Name:
Solanaceae
Plant Type:
Flowering pot plant
Key ID Features:
Leaves alternate, most blades ovate to lanceolate, 2-9cm long x 1-4cm wide, margin entire, petioles 1-2cm long; flowers ~1.5cm wide with 5 sepals, petals, and stamens.
Habit:
Upright
Form:
Climbing, Mounded, Oval - vertical
Texture:
Medium
Mature Height:
0.4 - 0.7m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Central America, Garden origin, South America
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 9: (-7 to -1 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Herb, Indoor plant
Additional Info:
Google. Ornamental peppers are often grown as potted plants. Cultivars shown include C. 'Black Pearl'. (See separate entry for sweet bell peppers grown as a greenhouse vines.)
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Soft flexible
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Shapes:
Lanceolate, Ovate
Apices:
Acute
Margins:
Entire
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers clustered
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Rotate/stellate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
White
Flower Time at Peak:
May, Oct
Additional Info:
Some flowers may have 6 petals
Fruit Type:
Berry (true), Edible
Fruit Colour:
Orange, Yellow, Green, Purple, Red
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Dec
Additional Info:
Edible, Bell pepper: Ovoid or bell-shaped, chambered, shiny. Ornamental pepper: Small, round or conical.
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green, Red, Tan
Propagation:
Seed
Optimal Temp.:
High
Light Level:
High
Maintenance:
Medium
Pest Susceptibility:
Mites, Root rot, Thrips, Wilt
