Chili pepper description. Chili pepper: the best varieties, cultivation, care. When Chili Can Hurt
Hot chili peppers can be grown on the window in the apartment, on the loggia, in the garden. It will not only help to prepare a spicy dish, but also strengthen the immune system, help fight stressful conditions, and improve brain activity. This crop is cultivated everywhere, it is worth considering the most popular and high-yielding varieties of hot peppers that can be grown in our difficult climate.
Chilean culture - what you need to know
The southern continent of America is considered the birthplace of the culture; hot chili peppers were grown by the Indians. Nowadays, it is cultivated mainly in Thailand and India. In fact, the name "Chili" combines most varieties of hot peppers, which can have fruits of different colors.
Chili peppers contain a unique substance - capsaicin, which gives it a sharpness. Measure its content in Scoville (SHU). For example, in bell pepper, this indicator is 0, regular hot chili contains 100-500 scovilles, and 1 million scovilles included in the book of records for spiciness.
Advice! Fresh milk is very good at relieving the burning sensation in the mouth from spicy chili.
Useful properties of the plant and its fruits
Pepper fruits are widely used not only for food. Not so long ago, it began to be used in modern medicines. What is the use of this plant?
- Hot pepper fruits contain a large amount of retinol and ascorbic acid, vitamins E, P, B are slightly smaller. These components help the human body cope with migraines, viral infections and colds.
- This culture helps fight diseases such as thrombophlebitis and arthritis, strengthens blood vessels and heart muscle.
- Powder from the fruits of this culture is added to toothpastes, which have a strengthening effect on gums and tooth enamel. A pepper patch helps to cope with muscle spasms and rheumatic pains.
In addition, hot pepper extract is used in some cosmetics to rejuvenate the skin and tone it.
Popular varieties
Let us consider only the most famous and popular ones, since it is difficult to describe all types of this culture - there are a lot of them. Below are varieties of chili peppers with a photo and a brief description.
spark
Due to the fact that in our country this plant was grown almost everywhere in the post-Soviet space, the name "Spark" has become synonymous with "Chile".
A culture with elongated fruits weighing up to 45 g. A high-yielding variety: up to 3 kg of fruits can be obtained from one square, and this is only in open ground. Growing chili peppers in greenhouse conditions increases yields up to 5 kg.
The bush of culture reaches half a meter. The plant is resistant to diseases, calmly tolerates temperature changes.
Tonus 9908024
High-yielding, time-tested variety. The mass of fruits reaches 15 g, elongated. The fruits are green in technical ripeness and red in full. Both can be eaten. The peculiarity of this variety is that the fruits are directed downwards and the leaves have a slightly wrinkled relief. Resists viral infections.
Advice! Chilies are heat-loving plants, and many believe that in our country they can only be grown in greenhouses. For this reason, many do not plant crops in large volumes, sparing the greenhouse area. In vain, because breeders have bred varieties that grow and bear fruit even in the open ground of Siberia.
Astrakhan 147
The variety is quite well-known since the time of the Union, as it was bred in Volgograd in 1943. This is a chili pepper with small fruits weighing only 10 g. Up to 30 ovaries can form on a bush. It grows well and bears fruit on the windowsill, often kept in an apartment as an ornamental plant.
Astrakhan 628
This pepper was created in Maykop and is very similar to the one described above, but there is a difference - the fruits of this culture are only 14 g. It grows both indoors and outdoors. The bushes are small and strewn with small red peppers.
Elephant trunk 304
This is a variety for the Trans-Urals, which was bred by Maikop breeders specifically for the Far East. Mid-season variety with purple internodes. The fruits are elongated, cone-shaped - length 19 cm, weight - 5 g. Pepper is medium hot and can produce up to 1.5 kg of fruit from one square meter.
Decorative
These are evergreen, perennial bushes of hot chili peppers, which perfectly tolerate the lack of lighting. Consider varieties of chili peppers decorative types.
habanero
A variety of chili peppers whose fruits look like small hearts. The pods are usually red and yellow-orange in color, but white Habanero chile fruits can also be found. The variety has a very tasty, fruit with a floral aroma. The sharpest of the variety are chili pepper seeds, which are used as food in dried form. Often used in cosmetology.
jalapeno
Green chili peppers, which are harvested before the fruits are fully ripe, as soon as they reach 8 cm medium spicy peppers, which lose their taste after full ripening, which is why they are harvested in technical ripeness. The most pungent in this pepper are the seeds, which can be removed from the pod, and the tender flesh can be used in any dishes for flavor. Healing tinctures are prepared from chili peppers of this variety.
Serrano
An ornamental variety of hot chili peppers with bullet-shaped pods 4 cm long. In the pod, the seeds and membranes are the sharpest, and if they are removed, you can get a fragrant pulp that can be used to cook mildly spicy dishes. Evergreen plant, feels good on the windowsill at any time of the year and in any light.
Poblano
This variety of pepper is not very hot, which allows it to be used for canning, stuffing, and freezing. The fruits are heart-shaped with a dark red color, but experts advise eating only green fruits.
Pasilla
A variety of chili peppers with a medium degree of heat, with a pleasant taste and a mild smoky aroma. Often used in the preparation of seasonings, sauces, marinades. This is a very popular ornamental variety that can be grown both on the windowsill and in the summer cottage.
Anaheim
This type of chili pepper has a green fruit color that does not change during ripening. The second feature of this variety are very large fruits, compared to ordinary sweet chili peppers. The pods have a slightly pungent taste, which is why the variety is very popular.
Burning for open ground
Varieties of hot chili peppers that can be grown in open ground have long been bred, let's consider the main ones that have the greatest pungency.
Naga Jolokia
The hottest chili pepper, listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Homeland variety North India. Droplet-shaped fruits with a wrinkled surface. When growing, it forms a beautiful neat bush, abundantly strewn with droplets of red fruits.
Burning bouquet
The variety has the following features:
- It grows well in open ground and in a greenhouse.
- Medium shrub up to half a meter in height.
- No need to tie up and stepson.
- The length of the pod reaches 12 cm, with a mass of up to 20 g.
- Sharp, with a pronounced peppery aroma.
Sweat Chile
Small red fruits with tubercles and a smooth surface. In open ground it grows into a large sprawling shrub. Pods are used to prepare various gourmet dishes, seasonings and sauces.
Madame Jeanette
At first glance, you might think that the bright yellow pods are harmless, but it contains a lot of pungency. This type of hot chili pepper has no flavors, only sharpness. A high yielding species that grows well on a windowsill. Sometimes, the fruit of this type of chili pepper can be more round in shape.
Devil tongue
This species is part of the Habanero family, and is somewhat reminiscent of the hot hot pepper of the Fatali species, this can be seen in the photo. Pods of a bright shade with a rich nutty flavor. This pepper variety was first discovered in Pennsylvania, where it grew like a weed.
Chinese fire
- A very spicy type of hot pepper.
- The bush grows up to 65 cm high.
- You can harvest on the 90th day from planting.
- A pod weighing 70 g and 25 cm long.
- The fruit is red in the shape of an irregular cone.
- Not afraid of diseases, resistant to viruses.
- Well stored and transported.
These are far from all types of hot chili peppers, which are planted in summer cottages in our country.
How to grow
Beginning summer residents should understand that in order to get a good harvest, you need to choose the right chili pepper seeds, which can be obtained from fruits harvested in the fall. The growing process itself can be divided into stages.
- Planting material preparation. Seeds before sowing should be placed in wet cotton pads or gauze, for germination, regardless of the type. Put a saucer with seeds in a warm place.
- Before sowing, it is worth preparing the soil, which should consist of 2 parts of humus, 1 part of sand and 1 part of leafy soil. In this composition, you can sow the seeds of hot peppers.
- Seeds are sown in separate pots, one seed at a time, to a depth of 5-7 mm. If planting is carried out in boxes, then the distance between plants should be more than 6 cm.
- After the seeds are laid in the holes, they are sprinkled with earth and moistened.
- The optimum temperature for seedling growth is + 25 degrees Celsius, while moistening the soil is necessary every other day.
- As soon as the first leaves appear, you need to put the seedlings on a sunny windowsill, the optimal length of daylight hours is 16-18 hours for good seed development.
- After about a month, young plants can be transplanted to a permanent place of residence, in a greenhouse or in open ground.
- The optimum temperature for good growth and a friendly harvest is 23-28 degrees. The plant does not tolerate drafts, so when planting in open ground, try to protect the bushes from the wind.
If seedlings of decorative hot chili pepper were planted, then each plant is transplanted into a flower pot with a diameter of 15 cm carefully with a clod of earth - so that the root system is not damaged.
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If your life lacks thrills, try to bring them with the help of a hot pepper. It will not only spice up your favorite dish, but also make your brain work better, strengthen your hair and take you out of a stressful state. You can grow hot peppers both in the garden and on the balcony or window.
On this page of the site for beginners, we decided to consider the most popular chili pepper varieties. Photos and description, we hope, will help you choose what you need. Isn't it time to add some spice to your life?
Chili pepper - what do we know about it?
Its homeland is tropical America of those times when it was inhabited by the indigenous population - the Indians. Today it is mainly grown in India and Thailand. Chili peppers are called several varieties of hot peppers. Although it translates as "red", in fact, the fruits can have yellow and even dark shades.
The spiciness of chili peppers is due to the unique substance contained in it - capsaicin. Its amount is measured in Scoville and is referred to as SHU. Bell peppers are endowed with zero scovilles, the mildest chili pepper contains from 100 to 500 scovilles, and the most spicy (it was included in the Guinness book) - more than 1 million scovilles. The most effective way to fight pepper fire in the mouth is fresh milk.
The most popular varieties of chili peppers - description, photo
Burning bouquet
A plant up to half a meter high with 10 cm fruits, which, as gourmets describe, have a special peppery aroma. The burning bouquet belongs to the early varieties, it can be grown outdoors and in shelter.
In the photo, a variety of chili peppers Burning bouquet double abundance
Long (18-20 cm) proboscis thick-walled pepper. The variety under consideration has three main advantages: high yield, resistance to viruses and strong summer heat.
Thick Walled Hot Pepper Double Plenty Chinese fire
Pepper pods are long - up to 25 cm and have a particularly strong pungency. The plant stretches up to 65 cm, shows good resistance to diseases.
Long pods of Chinese fire pepper Indian elephant
Trunk-shaped thick-walled semi-hot peppers, each of which weighs about 30 g. Plant height can reach 1.3 m. The variety is very productive and very fragrant.
Unripe semi-hot pepper Indian elephant jalapeno
The height of the bush is usually approximately 1 m, the length of the peppers is 10 cm. On average, 35 peppers ripen on each plant. To get a full crop, it is better to grow this pepper in protected ground. Harvest Jalapeno without waiting for maturity.
photo of chili jalapeno Habanero Tobago Seasoning
Pepper has a somewhat "rumpled" appearance and can be not only red, but also have other colors (yellow, brown, pink). Average weight - 15 g, has a fruity flavor. On one bush there are up to 1000 bright peppercorns.
Habanero Tobago Seasoning cayenne red
The fruits are thin, each about 12 cm long, the sharpness is medium. One and a half meter bush requires a garter. A very productive variety of pepper - about 40 peppers can be plucked from one bush.
red cayenne pepper 7 Pot Brain Strain Red
7 Pot Brain Strain Red Vizier
The fruits are very unusual in appearance (see photo), with a wall thickness of 3 mm, medium-sharp. The bush is quite tall and spreading. Vizier is a very productive late variety.
In the photo there is an unusual type of chili pepper Vizir Tabasco
Chili pepper variety with high yield, late ripening. One and a half meters is the usual height for this plant, 5 cm is its usual length. Burniness - medium. This variety is resistant to many diseases.
Tabasco Jati Jolokia
In the photo, a late variety of chili pepper Jati Jolokia We have brought to your attention the best varieties of chili peppers. Photos and descriptions should help you make a choice. Dilute your lean life with a hot and healthy chili pepper!
Chilli is a plant of the Capsicum family. The fruits have a spicy aroma and a burning taste, which depends on the amount of the capsaicin substance. And how this hot red pepper looks like you can see in the photo that follows.
Despite the fact that the name is consonant with the country of the same name, Chile, the birthplace of this plant is America. When the continent was discovered by Columbus, chili was distributed throughout the world. The largest crop is harvested in India and Thailand.
The main pungency is found in pepper seeds, so they should be removed before use.
Beneficial features
Chili pepper contains 2 times more ascorbic acid than lemon. This makes it possible to use this vegetable during colds and viral diseases. If you use chili peppers in small quantities, you can notice a decrease in cholesterol levels, which in turn is an excellent prevention of various diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
The constant use of chili peppers in small quantities contributes to the production of endophrin, the so-called "hormone of happiness." He, in turn improves immunity, blood circulation, and also has the ability to increase pain threshold and stress resistance.
The properties of chili peppers are widely used for cosmetic purposes. For example, it is included in toothpaste, which helps improve gum health. Masks with this component promote hair growth. A cream that contains chili pepper extract will help get rid of a headache if you rub it into your temples. Many cosmetic companies use this product as a component for anti-cellulite creams.
Use in cooking
Chili pepper is a fairly common spice in various cuisines of the world. It is used either fresh or dried. Whole fresh pods are used in preserves and marinades. This product adds spice to side dishes, meat dishes, soups, salads, pickles, cheeses, etc. The powder of this vegetable is added to various dishes, and very tasty sauces are prepared from it. Chili peppers can enhance the taste and give a certain spiciness to a huge number of dishes. Recently, this vegetable is used even in desserts, for example, it is added to chocolate. This vegetable is also used in alcoholic drinks and cocktails.
Chili Pepper Benefits and Treatment
The benefits of chili pepper are due to its unusual composition. This vegetable in moderation increases appetite and the rate of metabolic processes, stimulates the secretion of gastric juice and normalizes the digestive system as a whole. In addition, it improves the functioning of the liver, and also activates the brain. Regular consumption of this vegetable will help get rid of insomnia, bronchial asthma, hepatitis and epilepsy. It is also recommended to use chili pepper for atherosclerosis and allergies. In addition, it has been proven that these fruits have the ability to prevent the development of cancer.
Recent studies have shown that hot chili can be used for some complications of diabetes. For example, in order to reduce pain in the legs, you can use a cream based on it. The extract of this plant is part of a huge number of painkillers and warming ointments.
Harm of chili pepper and contraindications
Chili peppers can harm people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, it is worthwhile to ensure that pepper substances do not fall on mucous membranes and wounds. These fruits also have the ability to cause heartburn. In order not to feel any problems, it is recommended to use this product in small quantities.
This article will introduce you to the most popular varieties of chili peppers.
Serrano
Serranos are grown in the heart of Mexico. It has a fruit length of 2.5-5 cm and is eaten fresh. This is a green fruit. True, then it turns orange or red. Serranos are commonly used in salsas and sauces, as well as in jalapeno pasta. Peppers taste best with tomatoes and onions, the most popular foods in Mexican cuisine. Since its flesh is quite juicy, it is not suitable for drying.
habanero
Habanero peppers are often mistaken for Chinese peppers, which is why they are called “Chinese peppers”. In fact, the habanero comes from Havana, where it is widely sold. It comes in different colors: green, red, orange, white and even pink. Although it is only 6.5 cm long, it is very pungent. It is used to prepare hot sauces and dishes, as well as spicy alcoholic beverages.
Poblano
When fresh, poblano is heart-shaped. Due to its fleshiness, it is more often used for stuffing. Pepper has a blackish-green color, which, when the fruit is ripe, turns into a dark red. This chili is from Puebla in Mexico. It is often jarred or frozen, which can keep it for months.
jalapeno
This pepper is cylindrical in shape. The fruit itself is green at first, but then turns red. Many people love to eat jalapeno, despite the fact that it is very hot. In general, the hotness of this pepper depends on the method of its preparation. If you remove the seeds and core from it before using it in cooking, it will become very mild in taste.
Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper comes from French Guiana and is also called bird pepper. Most often it is dried, ground into powder and used as a spice. The fruit is quite long, red or green in color. Cayenne pepper is very nutritious. It contains vitamins A, E, C, riboflavin and others. Not surprisingly, it is used medicinally to treat a variety of ailments.
Anaheim
This pepper is named after the city of Anaheim in California, USA. It is not pungent at all, so it can be easily eaten fresh. Pepper has a conical shape. It is more commonly referred to as Mexican or California chili. When dried, it acquires a dark red color. Once steamed or charcoaled, the Anaheim skin peels off and can be mashed and used in sauces, soups, or casseroles.
Chile "Bird's Eye"
This is a very small but very hot pepper. The length of the fruit reaches only 2.5 cm, but it can be successfully used for cooking meat and fish dishes. It is believed that this pepper has medicinal properties, so it is used to treat stomach diseases, toothache and other ailments. Despite the fact that the pepper is also called Thai, it is used throughout the entire North Asian cuisine, and the "Bird's Eye" comes from Mexico. In cooking, not only fruits are used, but also the greens of the plant.
yellow wax pepper
Yellow, or Hungarian, wax pepper has a large size and yellow fruits. True, when they reach ripeness, they turn orange-red. Wax pepper is somewhat similar to banana chili and is commonly confused with it. This plant is loved to grow in gardens as a vegetable crop, and in cooking it is used in the preparation of salsa, salads, sandwiches and other dishes. The fruit reaches a size of 7 to 12 cm, has fleshy flesh and is very loved by culinary specialists.
Bell pepper
Sweet pepper is very popular. It has a round shape and can be of different colors: red, green, orange, yellow, purple, brown and even black. To taste, it is not hot at all, but rather sweet, since it contains too little or no capsaicin, the substance that gives hot peppers. Green peppers are the least sweet. This species is highly nutritious. The leader in the cultivation of sweet pepper is China, followed by Mexico.
Scottish Bonnet
This pepper is quite popular in Caribbean cuisine. It is also grown in the Caribbean and Maldives. Scottish bonnet comes in red, orange and yellow. It tastes like habanero pepper, so it can successfully replace it in cooking. Throughout the world, this chili is used to prepare sauces for meat and fish. Its pungency can be reduced by removing the seeds and core from the fruit.
fresno pepper
This specimen is very similar to jalapeno and looks almost the same. True, it is much more pungent. A fully ripe fruit is red in color. Due to its thin skin, it is often used in the preparation of sauces and salsa. However, fresno is practically not suitable for drying. It is native to South America, has a cone shape and a shiny skin.
Tabasco
When dried, this pepper does not dry out from the inside. Another difference from other peppers is that its fruits stick straight up on the plant, and do not hang from the stems. This pepper comes from Mexico, from the town of Tabasco, whose name it bears. Everyone has probably heard of hot Tabasco sauce. It is made from this pepper, adding vinegar and salt, after which it is kept in white oak containers.
Paprika
This pepper has the shape of a cone, its length reaches 20 cm. The fruit is usually dried and used in cooking as a powder. Paprika is originally from Hungary, but is most commonly used by Americans as a natural color for a variety of dishes. However, the taste and aroma of this pepper are loved in many other countries of the world. Six types of paprika are grown in Hungary. For powdered seasoning, the sweetest varieties are often taken.
chile pequin
This pepper is also called bird pepper, because it is readily eaten by all kinds of birds. It is tiny in size and quite pungent, making it ideal for pickles. He is from Mexico. The shape of the fruit is oval. Due to its both nutty and citrus flavor, it is often used in liquid seasonings. Pequin pepper grows well in any climatic zone: both warm and humid, and arid.
Now you know the various types of chili peppers and can choose the right ones for your culinary experiments.
We will tell you what the type and variety of the plant is, what varieties of peppers exist and how they differ, you will learn about the varieties of black, red and allspice and their history.
Types and varieties of peppers
It is necessary to immediately define the terms. The word "variety" in biology refers to a group of plants of the same species bred by humans. The variety is bred to obtain certain characteristics and has a completely arbitrary name.
For example: Capsicum is a genus with 31 species. One of them is a vegetable pepper. In each country, dozens of varieties of pepper are bred annually, they have the most exotic names: "Arsenal", "Leader of the Redskins", "Prince Silver", "Hercules" and another 50 varieties bred for the central zone of the Russian Federation.
The main types and varieties of black and red pepper play the greatest role in human life. The classification of peppers should begin with the fact that both red and black peppers are plants of the dicotyledonous class.
There is a third group, the so-called "false peppers", starting with allspice and a dozen more types of hot and fragrant plants used in cooking and playing an important role in flavoring dishes.
This is what a chili pepper looks like 
Black "real" pepper, varieties of bitter pepper
It is believed that it has been known in Europe since ancient times. Perhaps after the campaign of Alexander the Great in India. The use of black pepper made all meat and fish dishes exceptionally tasty. Not everyone could afford to pepper their food. In the Middle Ages, the Arabs were in charge of the supply of pepper.
The black peas were about the same size and constant weight. Therefore, they also served as a measure for measuring the weight of precious stones, gold and other spices. It was for this variety and other exotic spices that Columbus went across the Atlantic.
The heat and moisture that exists in the equatorial belt of the Earth make it possible today to supply St. 350 thousand tons of various varieties of black peppercorns.
Black peas are unripe green fruits dried under special temperature conditions. After drying, the skin shrinks and turns black. If the green peas are dried quickly in the oven, then the peppercorns will remain green. If mature red grains are soaked in sea water (or spread out in the sun) and processed (remove the soft shell), white peas will turn out. The gentle drying of the red ripe fruits produces red peppercorns or "podicheri". This is a very hot pepper. The same plant gives 4 varieties of peppercorns each with its own unique taste.
Relatives of true black pepper: cubeba, African pepper, long pepper. These are rare guests in our culinary.
Red peppers, does "capsicum" always mean hot peppers
These plants are from the nightshade family, genus Capsicum. The most popular type of pepper of this genus is capsicum hot pepper(Capsicum longum L., Capsicum annuum L.). It is called in its homeland "chili", which means red pepper. It is used as a spice, and as a food product containing a huge amount of vitamin A and C. These plants, in everyday life and agricultural practice, are divided into sweet and hot, decorative and medicinal peppers. Throughout the planet, you can count at least 1 thousand cultivated varieties of pepper of this species. The annual harvest of red capsicum exceeds 30 million tons.
In fact, the genus Capsicum contains many types of peppers (over 30), of which the most popular are the capsicum itself, as well as such species or, more simply, varieties of hot peppers such as Cayenne (Capsicum fastigiatum Bl. and Capsicum frutescens) and Bird's pepper ( Capsicum minimum Roxb.).
Allspice and other "fake" peppers
Allspice is an indispensable spice for making pickles and marinades. According to the food GOSTs of the USSR, without it you can’t get spicy salted herring or pickled tomatoes with cucumbers. A special and incomparable subtle aroma passes into canned products.
is Jamaican pepper (Pimenta officinalis L.). There is his homeland, and there is now the main area of its cultivation.
Japanese allspice is a cult spice in the Far East. This pepper belongs to the rue family. Its aroma is especially good with seafood.
Malagueta (Amomum Meleguetta Rosс) - grains of paradise - allspice, a plant of the ginger family. This now rare sweet pea is mainly used in England to flavor whiskey and ale.
False pepper (xylopia) is a spice that gives the seeds of plants of the anon family:
- kumba, or Moorish pepper (Xylopia aethiopica), popular in the Maghreb countries;
- Guinea pepper (Xylopia aromatica), also known as "Negro" pepper, is very popular in Africa.
Pink pepper shinus is Peruvian (Schinus molle) and Brazilian (Schinus terebinthifolius). Plants belong to the species Sumacaceae.
In more detail, varieties of peppers with photos and descriptions are described in this section of the Chili Pepper website on other pages.
All articles in the section "Peppers"