Bonnet pepper, Squash pepper
Capsicum chinense

Family: Solanaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows 70-80 cm high. The leaves are compound. They have 3 leaflets. These are 3-5 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. The leaf is entire and unequal. The taper to the tip. The flowers occur singly or in clusters of 2. They are in the axils of leaves. The fruit are 5-7 cm long and they hang down. They look like a collapsed bell pepper. They can be red, green, orange or yellow.

There are 10 Capsicum species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. In the Andes it grows from sea level to 1,600 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. They need a temperature above 4-13°C depending on cultivar. At ECHO, Florida.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Amazon, Andes, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Cook Islands, Cuba, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North America, Pacific, Peru, Puerto Rico, Sikkim, South America, USA, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The very hot fruit are used as a spice. It is used in stews and sauces.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is a cultivated plant.

Edible parts

Fruit, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Aji, Aji dulce, Aji picante, Ati, Habanero, Jolokia, Pimenta-vermelha, Scotch Bonnet peppers, Yellow lantern chili

Synonyms

Capsicum sinense Murray; Capsicum toxicarium Poepp. ex Fingerh.;