Chili pepper Capsicum frutescens

Thai peppers
by Daniel Risacher
[GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0],
via Wikimedia Commons

Capsicum frutescens is a species that includes several varieties of chili peppers: Piri piri, Malaguete pepper, Tabasco pepper, and Thai pepper.

Names

Scientific
   Capsicum frutescens
English
   Chili pepper
   Malaguete pepper
   Piri piri
   Tabasco pepper
   Thai pepper
Dutch
   Tabasco
French
   Pili-pili
   Piment
German
   Tabasco
Italian
   Tabasco
Other
   Barbaré

Taxonomy

Order
   Solanales
Family
   Solanaceae
Genus
   Capsicum
Species
   Capsicum frutescens (Chili pepper Capsicum frutescens)

Basic information and facts

Origin:

South or Central America

Distribution:

Tropical and subtropical refions of the world.

Annual, biennial, or perennial:

Grows as a annual or short-living perennial.

Flowers:

White flowers with a greenish white or greenish yellow corolla.

Leaves:

Fruits:

Fruits of C. frutescens usually grow erect. They are 1 to 2 centimeters long with a diameter of 3 to 7 millimeters. Fruits are usually first yellow and turn red when mature, but other colors are possible.

Climate and weather:

Tropical and subtropical

Pollination:

Can be insect pollinated or self pollinated.

Height:

Spacing:

50 to 80 centimeters

Propagation:

grown from seed

Harvesting:

Hand pick unripe or ripe fruits.

Uses:

Used fresh or dried and ground to a powder, which can be used in hot spicy dishes.

Pictures

Tabasco peppers
Photo by unknown (USDA photo)

Capsicum frutescens
by Matthäus Wander
at German Wikipedia [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0],
via Wikimedia Commons

Capsicum frutescens 'Hidalgo'
by H. Zell
[GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0],
via Wikimedia Commons