Highly ornamental, Capsicum annuum (Chili Pepper) is an erect, much-branched, herbaceous perennial, often grown as an annual, with alternate, ovate, light to dark green leaves. Insignificant white flowers are produced from the leaf axils in early summer. They are followed by very decorative fruits in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors and degree of pungency. Usually more or less conical, up to 12 in. long (30 cm), the fruits can be green, yellow, cream or purplish when immature, red, orange, yellow, brown when mature. As fruits gradually ripen, several colors can be found on a plant simultaneously. They are very ornamental for 8-12 weeks, after which they wrinkle and drop off. Chili Peppers can be categorized as one of three types: sweet peppers, hot peppers and ornamental peppers. Easy to grow and beautiful when used in mass plantings.

• Grows up to 1-4 ft. tall (30-120 cm) and 1-2 ft. wide (30-60 cm).
• Performs best in full sun, in organically rich, fertile, moist, well-drained soils. Provide a sheltered location. Water regularly and feed with a high potassium liquid fertilizer once the first fruit has set.
• Plant 18-24 in. apart (45-60 cm) in rows 8-24 in. apart (45-60 cm).
• Pinch young plants to promote bushiness. 
• Keep an eye out for leaf spot, wilt, mosaic virus, stem and root, aphids, white flies, cutworms, pepper maggots.
• Can be grown inside on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse. Can be grown outside once all danger of frost has passed.
• Propagation: take cuttings throughout summer or start seeds in late winter in a greenhouse setting.
• Native to southern North America and northern South America.