Contents
- A bit about the history of pepper
- Characteristics and description of culture
- Video “Top 10 hot peppers in the world”
- The best varieties of indoor peppers
- The best varieties of hot pepper early ripening
- Overview of varieties of hot peppers of medium ripening
- Varieties of hot peppers of late ripening
- The most productive varieties of hot pepper
Hot pepper is popular as a spice that gives any dish a special piquancy. Spicy lovers have plenty to choose from, because there are about three thousand varieties of hot peppers.
A bit about the history of pepper
Hot red pepper is native to tropical America. It was there that the locals began to cultivate spicy fruits. They were brought to Europe by Spanish sailors, who called the spice “Indian”. Today, pepper is grown in many countries, but Thailand and India are considered the main suppliers.
At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, the chemist Wilbur Scoville invented a method for measuring the spiciness of pepper, namely, its extract. And today the level of sharpness of various vegetable crops is determined by the Scoville scale.
Characteristics and description of culture
Hot pepper is especially popular among traditional dishes of southern countries. We use it quite often, but in smaller doses. The spice has a bitter taste. The semi-shrub on which pepper fruits ripen looks quite impressive:
- branched culture, reaching half a meter in height;
- during the flowering period, the shrub is strewn with white flowers;
- unripe fruits are spherical in shape.
All over the world, they use the classification of pepper spiciness, which involves the following categories:
- Mexican habaneros are the most common peppers;
- Chinese – the sharpest;
- trinidad – in demand in the preparation of sauces;
- jalapeno – the most heat-loving varieties;
- 7 POT – have an original shape and taste;
- cayenne – sharp, have an elongated shape;
- bush – the most popular representative of this group is Tabasco.
Semi-shrubs are popular not only for their fruits, but also for their aesthetic appearance. This is the reason for the demand for culture as an original element of the decor of apartments and verandas.
Video “Top 10 hot peppers in the world”
This video shows the hottest varieties of hot peppers.
The best varieties of indoor peppers
The culture includes a huge number of species, many of which can be grown directly on the windowsill. It is important to understand that pepper is a tropical plant that is not adapted to the climate characteristic of Our Country. Therefore, when deciding to start this unusual “flower” in an apartment, you should take care of creating the necessary conditions. The most important is the organization of additional lighting, especially in the cold season.
Babie summer
This variety is considered relatively unpretentious. Feels comfortable in the shade, undemanding to watering. It can grow in an apartment as a perennial plant, as well as in a garden bed as an annual. The shrub reaches a height of 50 cm, the fruits are spherical in shape and have a bitter-sweet taste.
hungarian yellow
The culture perfectly tolerates temperature fluctuations, frosts. The fruits are shaped like a cone, during the ripening period they are characterized by a yellow color, in a ripe form – red. The height of the shrub is 20–30 cm. Peppercorns are sweetish in taste, of medium spiciness.
Goldfinger
The variety is very photophilous and, with proper lighting, gives a bountiful harvest. Fruit size 10 cm, yellow. Culture is often grown solely for aesthetic purposes.
Filius Blue
Perennial. Unripe pods are purple, ripe – red. A shrub growing up to 25 cm needs abundant soil moisture, spraying and a sufficient amount of light.
The best varieties of hot pepper early ripening
Culture is classified not only by the degree of sharpness of the fruit, but also by the timing of their ripening. The earliest semi-shrubs give the first harvest 3 months after the appearance of the first sprouts. They are considered relatively resistant to frost and pests, but still need proper care.
Adzhika
The shrub belongs to the category of tall, reaches about a meter in height. Strongly branched, quite strong. Peppercorns are shaped like a cone, bright red in color and have a characteristic aroma.
double abundance
Relatively undemanding to the conditions of detention, however, it bears fruit much better in a greenhouse than in open ground. Pods resemble a trunk, reach 20 cm in length, have thick walls. Up to 50 peppers ripen on one shrub.
Burning bouquet
The culture is adapted to growing in the greenhouse and in the garden. The bush grows up to half a meter in height and is characterized by a strong trunk. The pods are sharp, have a light aroma.
Impala
The plant is insensitive to temperature changes and is immune to fungal diseases. The shrub grows up to 80 cm. The fruits are massive, when mature they weigh up to 100 g.
Indian elephant
Shrubs grow up to 140 cm. Keeping a crop in greenhouse conditions can provide a good harvest. Peppercorns are slightly spicy, have a bright aroma.
Chinese Fire
One of the most bitter types of pepper. The shrub is adapted to open ground conditions, grows up to 60 cm in height. The fruits are small, but long – up to 30 cm.
A smartass
Shrub medium-sized, has large leaves. Grows in greenhouse and open ground conditions. The fruits are red in color with a darkish shade of a conical shape. The culture is resistant to pests, temperature changes.
Tula
The shrub is grown in open ground under cling film. The fruits are cone-shaped. The variety has a high yield.
Habanero
The variety has several varieties, the fruits of which differ in color. A characteristic feature of habanero peppers is their shape and texture, reminiscent of a mashed tomato. The fruits are small in size, have a fruity taste with characteristic sharp notes.
Jalapeno
The Mexican jalapeno variety is characterized by tall bushes, strong shoots and high yields. The size of the fruit reaches 10 cm. The color of the peppercorns is bright green, but as it ripens, it transforms into rich red. As a rule, 30–40 fruits ripen on one shrub.
Miracle of the Moscow Region
The shrub is one of the tall ones – its height reaches about 1,3 m. The branches are strong, have few leaves. There are about 5 kg of crop per square meter. Peppercorns are cone-shaped, they are thin and long. The Miracle of the Moscow Region is famous for its unusual taste and weak spiciness.
Overview of varieties of hot peppers of medium ripening
Varieties with an average ripening period, as a rule, have high yields and resistance to various kinds of adverse conditions.
Cascabel pepper
The fruit of this variety is called rattle pepper, as the sound of seeds is heard when lightly shaken. Shrub medium-sized – grows up to half a meter. Peppercorns are small, dark in color, have a high level of pungency. Vegetation period is about 120 days.
Astrakhan 147
The variety is intended for cultivation in open ground, but gardeners of northern latitudes should use agrofiber to warm the crop. The shrub is low. The fruits do not ripen at the same time, thanks to which the gardener will have a regular harvest for a long period.
Having created the necessary conditions, the gardener will collect about 4 kg of sharp fruits per square meter.
Lamb horn
The name of the variety is associated with the appearance of the fruit – they are elongated and slightly bent towards the bottom. The variety is relatively unpretentious, but needs timely watering. Abundant moisture gives the fruits an average sharpness. In case of moisture deficiency, peppercorns become more spicy.
cayenne red
The variety is considered relatively new among all varieties. Peppercorns are thin, have an average sharpness. The culture is grown mainly on window sills and in greenhouses.
dragon language
The plant reaches a meter in height. Ripe pods have a bright red color, a high degree of pungency and a characteristic spicy aroma.
Varieties of hot peppers of late ripening
Varieties of late ripening are characterized by the longest growing season – 150 days.
Teak Jolokia
Shrub low, grows up to 40 cm in height. The growing season lasts on average 120–135 days. The pods are red when ripe and with a greenish tint when semi-ripe. They have a high level of bitterness.
Riot
The duration of maturation is 150 days. Peppercorns are white, and after ripening – red. The harvest is usually bountiful. About 250 fruits ripen on one bush.
Tabasco
Shrub resistant, small height. The pods are small, have a medium pungency. The yield is high.
Vizier
The fruits are turban-shaped, weigh about 30 g when mature. Peppercorns are characterized by medium spiciness.
The most productive varieties of hot pepper
Wanting to get the richest pepper crop, gardeners plant the most fertile varieties.
Twinkle
The shrub is mid-season, reaches a height of half a meter. From one square meter, the farmer will harvest about 4 kg of crop.
The Queen of Spades
The bush has an average growing season. The pods are of different colors, cone-shaped and sweetish in taste.
Rowan
The pods are spherical in shape. Paprika is made from the fruit.
Elephant trunk 304
The culture is grown mainly in the southern regions. The fruits are medium in size, weighing only 15 g.
The hottest pepper in the world
Bhut Jolokia is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s hottest pepper. There are spicier varieties, but the advantage of this one is that it is naturally spicy, and other varieties are obtained by selection.
Bhut Jolokia grows in India, where it is very popular. Pepper is actively used to scare away elephants. Hedges are coated with hot spice, as a result of which elephants lose interest in them. In addition, the pods are used in the Indian army – grenades are stuffed with pepper extract.
The degree of hotness of pepper depends on the region of its cultivation. In states where dry weather prevails, the fruits are less spicy. In the northeastern region of India, Bhut Jolokia is much hotter.
Any gardener can grow this or that variety of bitter pepper. The main thing is to create the necessary level of humidity and provide the plant with enough light. Compliance with these conditions almost 100% guarantees a rich harvest of spicy fruits.