Capsicum annuum
Purple chili has very attractive white flowers with purple edges. Its fruits ripen from vivid purple to bright red. Fresh chili peppers, red, purple, or green, are a rich source of vitamin C. Chilis are also great sources of antioxidants like vitamin A, and flavonoids like beta carotene, alpha-carotene, and many more.
Fresh homegrown Chili Peppers help the body cope with heat and pain, and increases sex drive. The plant prefers sunny spots, and though the peppers take time to fully ripen, its beautiful and delicious harvest is well worth the short wait.
The fruits are 24,000shu (Scoville heat units) which is similar to cayenne type chilis.
Sprouts in: 1 - 3 weeks
Harvest in: 98 - 126 days
- Grows best in temperatures between 20 - 35 °C / 68 - 95 °F.
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Decrease the number of chili plants to one per pod to ensure enough space and plant food for the plant to grow. You can find more info and a video about thinning here.
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Do not cut or prune your chili plant. It will form flowers on the tip of the plant.
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Once your chili is flowering, the blossoms need to be pollinated. The flowers are white with purple edging- very decorative.
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To help blossoms pollinate, gently shake your plant or use a clean paintbrush to move pollen from one blossom to the next. You can also pollinate with your fingertip. You can find a guide to pollination here.
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Chilies need some time to ripen, about 100 to 120 days from planting the pods. Caring for the plant during this time consists of cleaning the plant from wilted leaves and dead flowers.
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Purple chili ripens from a purple color to red, but is edible and already has some heat while it's green.
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Once the fruits have ripened, the plant will slowly start to degrade. The chili pod has fulfilled its purpose to produce little chilies.
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If you feel a true affection for your chili plant after harvesting its fruits, feel free to prune it and repot your plant to a bigger pot with some fresh soil and create your very own chili bonsai - why not start a new hobby.
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Warning! The leaves and seeds of the chili can be hot too. It's always a good precaution to wash your hands after touching the chili plant. It’s also not a wise decision to scratch your eye or other gentle body parts after dealing with chili plants.
