Plant Library

Group/Class:  Hot Cayenne

Description:

A wonderful selection that produces high yields of 6" long and narrow, wrinkled peppers; ripens from green to red; heat level increases as fruit ripens; great addition in salsa, stir fry or dried to make seasoning; wonderful in sunny containers or gardens

Edible Qualities

Cayenne Hot Pepper is an annual vegetable plant that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces green narrow peppers (which are technically 'berries') which can be harvested at any point. The fruit will often fade to red over time. The peppers have a spicy taste and a crunchy texture.

The peppers are most often used in the following ways:

• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Cooking
• Baking
• Drying
• Pickling

Planting & Growing

Cayenne Hot Pepper will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 16 inches apart. This vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant is a heavy feeder that requires frequent fertilizing throughout the growing season to perform at its best. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Cayenne Hot Pepper is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.