Plant Library

Other Names:  Ornamental Chili, Chili Pepper

Description:

The hottest pepper in the world with a Scoville Heat Unit rating of 1,400,000-2,200,000. Producing rounded fruits with a characteristic tail; fruits emerge green and mature to brilliant red; compact habit with strong, upright stems

Ornamental Features

Carolina Reaper Ornamental Pepper is primarily grown for its highly ornamental fruit. The fruits are showy red peppers carried in abundance from mid summer to early fall. Its attractive pointy leaves remain green in colour throughout the season. It features subtle white star-shaped flowers dangling from the stems from late spring to mid summer.

This plant is primarily grown as an ornamental, but it's also valued for its edible qualities. The round spicy peppers are most often used in the following ways:

• Cooking
• Drying
• Seasoning
• Sauces

Landscape Attributes

Carolina Reaper Ornamental Pepper is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Carolina Reaper Ornamental Pepper is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Herb Gardens
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Carolina Reaper Ornamental Pepper will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. 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 should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Carolina Reaper Ornamental Pepper is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. 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.