Despite the specific name, the plants vary from bushy annuals to
quite long-lived shrubs up to 6 ft (1.8 m) tall. The well known
Grossum Group includes the main salad peppersÑpimento, bell and
sweet peppers.
The Longum Group includes the cayenne peppers and paprika and banana
peppers, with elongated and usually curved, moderately hot to very
hot fruits.
The Conoides Group includes forms with erect, conical fruits, most
small and hot, some grown as ornamentals with multi-colored
fruitsÑÕRed MissileÕ is a typical example. Its fruit start out
creamy white and ripen purple through red. The Cerasiforme Group
(cherry peppers) have small, hot, globular to egg-shaped fruit; some
of these are also used as ornamentals.The Fasciculatum Group, known
as red cone peppers, have clustered, erect, elongated fruits.Within
each group there is a range of cultivars of varying shades of red,
yellow, green and purple, and in many shapes and sizes.
Cultivation: The larger-fruited chillies and sweet peppers, as well
as the shorter-lived of the small chillies, are grown in the
vegetable garden, requiring a long, warm, humid season to ripen
their fruit. The shrubby chillies require only a sheltered spot
against a wall and are easily propagated from cuttings.
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