"Habanero-type" peppers are a pepper species native to parts of South America. Like other pepper species, the fruits are brightly colored and used worldwide for food, spice, and medicine. It contains some of the hottest peppers to exist, such as 'Carolina Reaper'. Grow in rich, moist, well-drained soil in full sun. Plant only when nighttime temperatures are at least 55F; seedlings may be started indoors earlier and transplanted at this time. These plants enjoy heat and tolerate drought, though prolonged drought may affect fruit quality. These plants are resistant to deer browsing. The fruits vary considerably across cultivars in shape and color. Many tend to have a lumpy, crinkled appearance compared to other species. Use these plants in the edible garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Peppers share many pests and diseases with other nightshade family plants. It is important to look out for aphids, whiteflies, cutworms, pepper maggots, and Colorado potato beetles. This plant is also sensitive to Verticillium wilt (a fungal pathogen) and mosaic virus (which should show a uniform yellow-green mosaic across the leaves followed by wilt). VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Capsicum .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Annual; Edible; Herbaceous Perennial; Vegetable; Warm Season Vegetable
Life cycle
Annual; Perennial
USDA zones
10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 6 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Ovate leaves (to 3” long) that are deep green. The surface is commonly crinkled.
Flower color
White
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
White, usually 5-parted flowers bloom in June and continue until frost.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Orange; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; White
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible; Good Dried; Showy
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
Fruits are a non-pulpy berry and vary considerably across cultivars in shape and color. Many tend to have a lumpy, crinkled appearance compared to other species. They contain high capsaicin levels.
Stem color
Green; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Nodes may darken to purple.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Bolivia, northern Brazil, and Peru
Wildlife value
Birds are immune to the capsaicin in peppers and can safely eat the fruits with no ill effects. Therefore, these plants may attract birds.
European Pepper Moth in Nurseries and Greenhouses; Insect and Related Pests of Vegetables
Disease problems
Southern Bacterial Wilt on Herbaceous Ornamental Plants; Anthracnose of Pepper; Crop Protectants for Controlling Diseases of Vegetable Crops in Greenhouses; Southern Blight of Tomato and Pepper; Phytophthora Blight of Peppers; Bacterial Spot of Pepper and Tomato