This is a list of ''Capsicum'' cultivars belonging to the five major

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of cultivated peppers (genus ''

Capsicum ''Capsicum'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae, native to the Americas, cultivated worldwide for their chili pepper or bell pepper fruit. Etymology and names The generic name may come from Latin , me ...

''): '' C. annuum'', '' C. chinense'', '' C. baccatum'', '' C. frutescens'', and '' C. pubescens''. Due to the large and changing number of

cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...

s, and the variation of cultivar namings in different regions, this list only gives a few examples of the estimated 50,000 pepper varieties that exist.

''Capsicum'' species

There are perhaps fifty thousand ''Capsicum''

s grown worldwide. The USDA-ARS GRIN seed collection contains 6,200 ''

'' accessions alone, including 4,000 ''

Capsicum annuum ''Capsicum annuum'' is a species of the plant genus ''Capsicum'' native to southern North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. This species is the most common and extensively cultivated of the five domesticated capsicums. The spec ...

'' accessions. The other ''Capsicum'' species in the

USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

germplasm Germplasm are living genetic resources such as seeds or tissues that are maintained for the purpose of animal and plant breeding, preservation, and other research uses. These resources may take the form of seed collections stored in seed banks, t ...

repository Repository may refer to: Archives and online databases * Content repository, a database with an associated set of data management tools, allowing application-independent access to the content * Disciplinary repository (or subject repository), an ...

include: '' C. chinense, C. baccatum, C. frutescens, C. pubescens, C. cardenasii, C. chacoense, C. flexuosum, C. eximium, C. rhomboideum, C. galapagoense,'' and ''C. tovarii.'' There are five major species of cultivated ''

'', '' C. annuum, C. chinense, C. baccatum, C. frutescens, C. pubescens'', and within those species are several " taxonomic

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

". Because of the ability of many of species to cross and generate inter-specific hybrids, albeit with low success, there are also what is referred to as "complexes" within the genus ''Capsicum'' of closely related and sexually compatible species. This includes the ''Capsicum annuum complex,'' which consists of ''C. annuum, C. frutescens,'' and ''C. chinense''. Major species and their taxonomic varieties: *''

'', which includes bell peppers, cayennes,

friggitello The friggitello (plural friggitelli) is a sweet Italian chili pepper of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. It is also known as the Golden Greek pepper, Sweet Italian pepper, or Tuscan pepper. In the United States they may be called "pepperoncini"; ...

jalapeño The jalapeño ( , , ) is a medium-sized chili pepper pod type cultivar of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. A mature jalapeño chili is long and hangs down with a round, firm, smooth flesh of wide. It can have a range of pungency, with Scovi ...

s, paprika, and serrano. **''Capsicum annuum'' ' ''New Mexico Group''', common name Hatch or Anaheim, which includes Big Jim, Chimayó, and Sandia peppers. *''

Capsicum baccatum ''Capsicum baccatum'' is a member of the genus ''Capsicum'', and is one of the five domesticated chili pepper species. The fruit tends to be very pungent, and registers 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville Heat Unit scale. Chili pepper varieties in ...

'', which includes the South American varieties, such as ají amarillo, ají limón, and criolla sella. *'' Capsicum chinense'', which includes all of the habaneros,

Scotch bonnet Scotch bonnet (also known as Bonney peppers, or Caribbean red peppers) is a variety of chili pepper named for its supposed resemblance to a Scottish tam o' shanter bonnet. It is ubiquitous in West Africa as well as the Caribbean. Like the clos ...

s, Trinidad Scorpions, the

Bhut Jolokia The ghost pepper, also known as ''bhut jolokia'' (which literally means 'Bhutan pepper' in Assamese), is an interspecific hybrid chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India. It is a hybrid of ''Capsicum chinense'' and ''Capsicum frutescens''. ...

, and the

Carolina Reaper The Carolina Reaper is a cultivar of the ''Capsicum chinense'' plant. Developed by American breeder Ed Currie, the pepper is red and gnarled, with a bumpy texture and small pointed tail. In 2017, ''Guinness World Records'' declared it the hotte ...

. *''

Capsicum frutescens ''Capsicum frutescens'' is a wild chili pepper having genetic proximity to the cultivated pepper ''Capsicum chinense'' native to Central and South America. Pepper cultivars of ''C. frutescens'' can be annual or short-lived perennial plants. Fl ...

,'' which includes the

Tabasco pepper The tabasco pepper is a variety of the chili pepper species ''Capsicum frutescens'' originating in Mexico. It is best known through its use in Tabasco sauce, followed by peppered vinegar. Like all ''C. frutescens'' cultivars, the tabasco plant ...

and many of the peppers grown in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

; sometimes not distinguished as a species separate from ''C. annuum''. *''

Capsicum pubescens ''Capsicum pubescens'' is a plant of the genus ''Capsicum'' (pepper). The species name, ''pubescens'', refers to the hairy leaves of this pepper. The hairiness of the leaves, along with the black seeds, make ''Capsicum pubescens'' distinguishab ...

'', which includes the rocoto and manzano pepper, are distinctive plants, having violet flowers, black seeds, and hairy dark green leaves, and grow as a large, multi-stemmed vine up to 5 meters long.

Cultivars

The species and varieties include many economically important

s with a variety of different shapes, colors, and flavors that are grown for different purposes, such as spices, vegetables, and herbal medicines. Some confusion has resulted from the legal term " plant variety", which is used interchangeably with "cultivar" (not with "taxonomic variety"). The terminology around a cultivar also includes terms such as heirloom, open-pollinated,

self-pollinating Self-pollination is a form of pollination in which pollen from the same plant arrives at the stigma of a flower (in flowering plants) or at the ovule (in gymnosperms). There are two types of self-pollination: in autogamy, pollen is transferred t ...

, and hybrid.

Heirloom varieties An heirloom plant, heirloom variety, heritage fruit (Australia and New Zealand), or heirloom vegetable (especially in Ireland and the UK) is an old cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired trai ...

are typically those that have been selected and grown historically with seeds saved every year, and are still maintained today in similar fashion, such as the blocky-type California Wonder. Open-pollinated varieties are those that are maintained without strict barriers to prevent

outcrossing Out-crossing or out-breeding is the technique of crossing between different breeds. This is the practice of introducing distantly related genetic material into a breeding line, thereby increasing genetic diversity. Outcrossing can be a usefu ...

and then seed is collected at and stored from each harvest such as the lamuyo-type Marconi Yellow. While open-pollinated varieties are typically true-to-type, there may be occasional outcrossing to other ''Capsicum'' varieties that may introduce some

heterogeneity Homogeneity and heterogeneity are concepts often used in the sciences and statistics relating to the uniformity of a substance or organism. A material or image that is homogeneous is uniform in composition or character (i.e. color, shape, siz ...

. Self-pollinated varieties are similar to open-pollinated varieties in that they are true-to-type and seed is collected at and stored from each harvest, but measures are taken to minimize outcrossing. This may involve placing a barrier such as a mesh bag or cage over the plant to prevent pollinators from reaching flowers, ensuring that the plant has " selfed". This is how much seed intended for home-garden use is produced, like the cultivar Early Jalapeño. These three types of cultivar seed production are all similar in that only one parent is used and the seed are produced generally through

self-pollination Self-pollination is a form of pollination in which pollen from the same plant arrives at the stigma of a flower (in flowering plants) or at the ovule (in gymnosperms). There are two types of self-pollination: in autogamy, pollen is transferred ...

Hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...

varieties take advantage of a phenomenon called

heterosis Heterosis, hybrid vigor, or outbreeding enhancement is the improved or increased function of any biological quality in a hybrid offspring. An offspring is heterotic if its traits are enhanced as a result of mixing the genetic contributions o ...

or hybrid vigor, which occurs in pepper. To generate a hybrid variety, two self-pollinated varieties are intentionally crossed, and all seed from this cross are collected. The new hybrid variety typically is more vigorous than either of the two parents contributing to traits such as higher yield. Inter-specific crossing may result in a hybrid of diminished fertility due to specific genetic incompatibilities. In some cases, this may be overcome by deliberately selecting which of the two parents is to be the female parent in the cross. Hybrid seed if saved will not produce a homogeneous set of plants the next generation, meaning that the two parents will need to be crossed again to generate more hybrid seed. This method is used to produce hybrid ''Capsicum'' cultivars such as the blocky types Double-Up and Orange Blaze. Much of the commercial pepper production uses hybrid varieties for their improved traits.

''Capsicum annuum''

''Capsicum annuum'', native from southern North America through

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

, has been cultivated by

Indigenous peoples of the Americas The Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European settlers in the 15th century, and the ethnic groups who now identify themselves with those peoples. Many Indigenous peoples of the A ...

for thousands of years, and globally for over 400 years. Its fruit forms are varied, from large to small, sweet to sour, and very hot/pungent to bland. Despite being a single species, ''C. annuum'' has many forms, with a variety of names, even in the same language. Official names aside, in

American English American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the most widely spoken language in the United States and in most circumstances i ...

, any variety lacking heat is colloquially known as a

sweet pepper The bell pepper (also known as paprika, sweet pepper, pepper, or capsicum ) is the fruit of plants in the Grossum Group of the species '' Capsicum annuum''. Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, oran ...

, and those sweet peppers that have a blocky shape are referred to as bell peppers. A variety that produces

capsaicin Capsaicin (8-methyl-''N''-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) ( or ) is an active component of chili peppers, which are plants belonging to the genus ''Capsicum''. It is a chemical irritant for mammals, including humans, and produces a sensation of burnin ...

is colloquially known as a hot pepper or

chili pepper Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...

. In

British English British English (BrE, en-GB, or BE) is, according to Lexico, Oxford Dictionaries, "English language, English as used in Great Britain, as distinct from that used elsewhere". More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in ...

, the sweet varieties are called "peppers" and the hot varieties "chillies", whereas in Australian English and Indian English, the name "capsicum" is commonly used for bell peppers exclusively and "chilli" is often used to encompass the hotter varieties. The plant is a tender

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

subshrub, with a densely branched stem. The plant reaches . Single white flowers develop into the fruit, which is typically green when unripe, but may lack chlorophyll causing a white color. Ripening fruits usually change to red, although some varieties may ripen to yellow, orange, peach, brown, or purple. The species are grown in temperate climates as an

annual Annual may refer to: *Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year ** Yearbook ** Literary annual *Annual plant *Annual report *Annual giving *Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco *Annuals (band), ...

, but they are especially productive in warm and dry climates. }, , , literal: Mouse/rat dropping chili. , - , , Puya , , Mexico , 5,000 SHU , , ''Capsicum annuum'' L., hot, medium-size, green to red, and tapered Also known as a 'Pulla'. , - , , Santa Fe Grande , Fresno , , , , The Santa Fe Grande is a very prolific variety used in the Southwestern United States. The conical, blunt fruits ripen from greenish-yellow, to orange-yellow to red. The peppers grow upright on 24-inch plants. Santa Fe Grande has a slightly sweet taste and is fairly mild in pungency. , - , Serranochilis

, Serrano , Serrano , Mexico , 10,000–23,000 SHU , , The thin, tapered fruit turns red when mature. Due to its thin skin, it does not need to be peeled before use. , - , ,

Shishito is a sometimes hot East Asian pepper variety of the species ''Capsicum annuum''., abstract quote: " 'Shishito' (Capsicum annuum L.) is a group of sweet pepper cultivars. Fruits are small, green and non-pungent, but pungent fruits sometimes occu ...

, , Japan , 50-200 SHU , , , - ,

Siling Mahaba ''Siling haba'' ("long chili"), ''espada'' ("sword" in Spanish), ''siling mahaba'', ''siling pangsigang'' ("chili for ''sinigang''"), ''siling Tagalog'' ("Tagalog chili"), and sometimes called green chili, finger chili or long pepper, is one of ...

, ,

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, 50,000 SHU , , A chili pepper grown in the Philippines, and a popular ingredient in

Filipino Cuisine Filipino cuisine ( fil, lutong Pilipino/pagkaing Pilipino) is composed of the cuisines of more than a hundred distinct ethnolinguistic groups found throughout the Philippine archipelago. A majority of mainstream Filipino dishes that compose Fi ...

''Capsicum baccatum''

These have a distinctive, fruity flavor, and are commonly ground into colorful powders for use in cooking, each identified by its color.

''Capsicum chinense''

''Capsicum chinense'' or "Chinese capsicum" is a misnomer since all ''Capsicum'' species originated in the

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...

. Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin (1727–1817), a Dutch botanist, named the species in that way in 1776 because he believed they originated in China. Most of the peppers of this species have a distinctive flavor and are similar in flavor to each other.

''Capsicum frutescens''

Sometimes considered to be the same species as ''C. annuum''

''Capsicum pubescens''

''Capsicum pubescens'' is among the oldest of domesticated peppers, and was grown as long as 5,000 years ago. It is probably related to undomesticated plants that still grow in South America (''C. cardenasii'', ''C. eximium'', and others).

''Capsicum'' species

Cultivars

''Capsicum annuum''

''Capsicum baccatum''

''Capsicum chinense''

''Capsicum frutescens''

''Capsicum pubescens''

See also

Notes

References

Further reading