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Types of Hot Peppers

Gardening Guide: Hot Peppers Gardening Guide

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Types of Hot Peppers

By Bill Dugan, Executive Editor

Assortment of hot pepper varieties

Assortment of hot pepper varieties

Hot peppers, or chile peppers, are part of the Capsicum genus. They’re part of the Solanaceae family, which includes tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes. When you’re planning your garden, make sure you don’t plant your peppers where your potatoes, tomatoes, or eggplant have been.

Chile peppers were one of the first crops domesticated in the Americas more than 6,000 years ago in what is now modern day Mexico. Even then, Indigenous peoples recognized the medicinal value of these spicy plants; the capsaicin in chile peppers is a great natural pain reliever.

Chile peppers have been domesticated over the centuries into five species:

  • Capsicum annuum: includes ancho peppers, jalapeño peppers, Thai peppers, poblano peppers, serrano peppers, and cayenne peppers
  • Capsicum chinense: includes habanero peppers, ghost peppers, Scotch Bonnet, and the Carolina Reaper
  • Capsicum frutescens: includes tabasco peppers, Malagueta peppers, Malawian peppers, and Kambuzi peppers
  • Capsicum baccatum: includes aji peppers, tabasco peppers, Bishop’s Crown peppers, and the Piquanté peppers (Peppadews)
  • Capsicum pubescens: includes rocoto, canario, and piri piri peppers

Capsicum annuum, which also includes sweet bell peppers, is the most economically important species. A quarter of the world’s population eats peppers daily; they’re a common ingredient in African, Asian, European, and American cuisine.

Hot peppers come in a variety of shapes. They range from short, stubby pods to longer, narrower pods, to a range of roundish shapes from really round to bulbous or bumpy to small bell pepper-shaped with a pointy end. Some pod peppers grow upright, while others hang down like fiery ornaments. As your peppers mature, they’ll certainly add some lovely color to your garden.

These are some of the pod types you’ll encounter when you start exploring hot peppers:

  • Anaheim/New Mexico
  • Ancho/Poblano
  • Andean Aji
  • Banana/Long wax
  • Bell
  • Blocky
  • Cayenne
  • Cheese/Tomato-shaped
  • Cherry
  • Chiltepin/Tepin
  • Cluster
  • Cubanelle/Italian frying
  • Elongated bell
  • Elongated habanero
  • Habanero
  • Heart-shaped
  • Jalapeño
  • Pasilla
  • Pepperoncini
  • Pequin/Piquin
  • Serrano
  • Short wax
  • Squash
  • Tabasco

There are hundreds of varieties of hot peppers available from seed companies and mail-order nurseries. Ask your local extension center which type of peppers are best suited for your gardening needs.

Which type of hot peppers have you grown? Do you have a preference? Please share your opinion.

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Tags

eggplant, peppers

Comments
  • Carla J. October 16, 2023

    I love jalapeno peppers but often they are too hot for my lips and tongue. Is there another pepper with some heat that is a little less hot?

    Reply

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Food Gardening Network Hot Peppers Gardening Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Curator’s Corner
  • Introduction
  • Growing Zones for Hot Peppers
  • Types of Hot Peppers
  • Growing Hot Peppers From Seeds or Seedlings
  • Sun and Soil Requirements for Growing Hot Peppers
  • Planting Hot Peppers in the Ground or in Raised Beds
  • Growing Hot Peppers in Containers
  • Watering, Weeding, and Fertilizing your Hot Pepper Plants
  • Harvesting Your Hot Peppers
  • Storing and Preserving Your Hot Peppers
  • Dealing With Hot Pepper Diseases
  • Dealing With Hot Pepper Pests
  • Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing and Enjoying Hot Peppers
  • What to Do with Hot Peppers After a Big Harvest
  • Plant Profiles

  • Carolina Reaper Pepper
  • Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
  • Habanero Pepper
  • Dragon Cayenne Pepper
  • Jalapeño Peppers
  • Poblano Peppers
  • Italian Pepperoncini
  • Recipes

  • Pepper and Potato Frittata
  • Chile Pepper Butter
  • Chile Rellenos Stuffed with Chicken
  • Habanero Hot Sauce
  • Hot Chile Chicken Wings
  • Additional Articles

  • Nutrition Facts About Hot Peppers
  • Health Benefits and Home Remedies of Hot Peppers
  • Resources About Hot Peppers
  • Hot Peppers Glossary
  • Related Articles

  • The Goldilocks Guide to Mild Hot Peppers: Not Too Hot, Not Too Bland, Just Right

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