Ornamental pepper is commonly called Ornamental pepper, a Christmas pepper plant. Scientifically Ornamental pepper is called Capsicum annuum cultivars.
They belong to the family Solanaceae. These plants are commonly grown as annuals though they are perennial vegetables.
Ornamental Pepper is native to Central and South America. They can be grown in USDA hardiness zones 9-11. They can be grown as bedding plants in your garden as well as houseplants.
Ornamental Pepper is native to Central and South America. They can be grown in USDA hardiness zones 9-11. They can be grown as bedding plants in your garden as well as houseplants. Click To TweetBeautiful and delectable plants exist in the vegetable garden. In addition to their culinary uses, reds, yellows, oranges, and purples of ripening fruits and vegetables often brighten up bouquets and gardens as much as they do our dinner plates.
These beautiful veggies, called ornamental peppers, add color to flowers and vase arrangements just as much as to our menus.There is an enormous array of colors and shapes found in the fruits and foliage of ornamental peppers.
Planting summer peppers occurs when the soil warms up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring. It is toxic to humans and animals to eat pepper leaves.
Though there are enormous species of pepper that are mainly used for culinary purposes, in this article the varieties that are grown as ornamentals have been discussed.
Types of Ornamental Peppers
There are bright and cheerful ornamental peppers as well as darker and moodier ones. Listed below are some popular varieties.
Chilly Chili
This variety consists of long red and yellow peppers and they look like fingers as they grow straight from the plant’s top.
Black Pearl
This variety of purple leaves and dark fruits that shine like a pearl as the name suggests.
Aurora
This variety possesses a rainbow of colors when ripen starting from green then purple and then eventually it becomes orange and red in a single plant.
Bolivian Rainbow
This variety has extremely hot and spicy peppers and looks so colorful that they resemble Christmas light bulbs.
Sangria
This variety is trailing in nature and is definitely a great option for hanging baskets .
NuMex Easter
This variety consists of pastel like peppers and bright green foliage.
Orange Wonder
It produces conical orange peppers in autumn and summer, among bushy foliage, on a bright green plant about a foot tall.
Growing Guide
Ornamental peppers are mainly summer bloomers, so the ideal planting time is when the frost has passed. The nights should be warm too with a temperature of 60 degrees fahrenheit.
While sowing the seeds the soil temperature should be above 70 degrees fahrenheit. It is always best to grow the ornamental peppers indoors before taking them outside.
The pots should be filled with potting soil or a seed starter medium. Plant the seeds about ½ inch deep and cover them up with a light layer of soil.
You will notice germination in around 2 weeks and after eight weeks transplant the seedlings in the ground or else you can also transplant them into a larger container.
Ornamental peppers prefer full Sun, so make sure that the planting site should get at least 6 to 8 hours of Sunlight. Water the plants regularly to maintain the moisture level.
The soil should be fertile and well draining. Mulching should be done in order to retain moisture and avoid weed infestation.
Caring Guide
Light
Ornamental pepper plants require direct Sunlight in order to produce colorful flowers and fruits. If you are growing it as a houseplant then make sure they get sufficient bright Sunlight.
Soil
These plants prefer rich loamy soil with slightly acidic pH of 6.5. Manures and compost act as great soil amendments for these plants by providing adequate nutrients. The soil should be well drained to drain out extra moisture.
Water
Both overwatering and underwatering will harm these plants. Hence water regularly during dry periods. Keep the soil moist but not too wet.
Temperature and humidity
As these are summer bloomers, so the optimum temperature required by them is around 70 degrees fahrenheit and above. This will enhance healthy growth of the plants.
Fertilizer
Ornamental peppers are not heavy feeders. So a fertilizer that contains high amounts of phosphorus and potassium rather than nitrogen will work best for these plants.
This helps in enhancing the blooming of fruits and flowers without much leaves growth. Hence the fertilizer is more required during their growing season.
Harvesting
Though these ornamental pepper plants are used mainly for decorative purposes, it can also be used as culinary. So in order to use them in your dishes, make sure to harvest them before frost arrives.
In order to harvest the fruit use a pruning shear to cut the fruit and keep it in a fridge. Use a little of these peppers in your dishes as it is too hot. You can use it in sauces, pastas, omelets, rice etc.
In order to harvest the fruit use a pruning shear to cut the fruit and keep it in a fridge. Use a little of these peppers in your dishes as it is too hot. You can use it in sauces, pastas, omelets, rice etc.
Propagation
The ornamental peppers can be propagated using stem cuttings. This function can be quite tricky and that is the reason why many gardeners prefer to grow the ornamental peppers from seeds.
So here I have discussed in detail on how to propagate these ornamental peppers through stem cuttings.
First take a pruning shear that is sterilized and cut down a 5 inch stem diagonally containing two leaf nodes at least. Then dip the striped leaves in a rooting hormone.
Take a pot containing a good amount of potting soil with adequate drainage holes and place the cutting in the soil about 1 inch deep. Then cover the sides of the cutting with soil.
Then place the pot in a warmer environment and water them regularly but avoid overwatering. After around 6 to 8 weeks the seedling will enlarge and this is the time to transplant the seedlings into a larger pot.
Problems in Ornamental Pepper
Ornamental Peppers are attacked by some of the insects and diseases as well if grown outdoors. However if you are growing it inside then there won’t be any issue with pests attack and diseases.
Aphids
They cause stunted growth of the plants by sucking the plant parts. Best way to get rid of them is by spraying an insecticidal soap solution to kill them and prevent further infestation.
Cutworms
These insects mainly cut the base of the stems of plants and also attack roots. Best way to get rid of them is to spray diatomaceous earth surrounding your plants.
Whiteflies
These insects can deform the plants by sucking on them. Best remedy is to spray an insecticidal soap solution on the infected areas.
Conclusion
Ornamental peppers, which are brightly colored and occasionally tasteless, add striking beauty to the landscape, or a pop of brilliance to an indoor planting.
Most gardeners love to grow ornamental peppers in containers, both outdoors and indoors, for their aesthetic value.The colorful plants in this category are excellent specimens for landscapes.
So you should definitely try your hands in planting this beautiful plant.
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