Capsicum sinense Murray
Capsicum toxicarium Poepp. ex Fingerh.
Common Name: Bonnet Pepper
A variety of shapes and colours
Photograph by: Hankwang
Bonnet pepper is an erect, multi-stemmed, evergreen shrub growing 60 - 150cm tall.
This species is the ancestor species to some of the hottest peppers[
]. It is widely cultivated for its fruit in south and central America[
Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most plants in the family Solanaceae also contain poisonous alkaloids. Unless there are specific entries with information on edible uses, it would be unwise to ingest any part of this plant[
Western S. America - Brazil to the West Indies.
|Cultivation Status||Cultivated, Wild
The plant is often cultivated as an annual in the tropics and subtropics. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 26°c, but can tolerate 15 - 32°c[
]. It is not tolerant of frosts[
]. It succeeds with a mean annual rainfall in the range 600 - 1,250mm, but tolerates 500 - 1,500mm[
Requires a very warm sunny position and a humus-rich, fertile, well-drained loam[
]. Prefers a light sandy soil that is slightly acid[
]. Prefers a pH in the range of 5.5 - 5.6[
], but tolerates 4.3 to 8.3. Another report says that it prefers a pH in the range 6 - 6.5, tolerating 5.3 - 7[
When grown as an annual, the plant takes 120 - 150 days from sowing to first harvest of the fruit[
There are many named varieties[
The extremely hot and pungent fruits are commonly used as a flavouring in savoury dishes[
]. The fruits vary in size and shape, ranging from 6mm in diameter, smooth and rounded, to wrinkled and elongated and up to 10cm long[
The pungent fruit has tonic and antiseptic properties, stimulates the circulatory and digestive systems and increases perspiration[
]. It also irritates the tissues, increasing blood supply to the area and reducing sensitivity to pain[
It is taken internally in the treatment of the cold stage of fevers, debility in convalescence or old age, varicose veins, asthma and digestive problems[
]. Externally it is used in the treatment of sprains, unbroken chilblains, neuralgia, pleurisy etc[
Seed - sow in a seedbed or in containers[
]. The seed usually germinates in 3 - 4 weeks at 20°c. Plant out into permanent positions when about 8 - 10cm tall[
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.