How2Day: Peter Pepper Plants

Peter pepper plants, which are referred to scientifically as Capsicum annuum var. annuum 'Peter,' originate in South America, southern Brazil and Bolivia. In the United States, the plants are common in both Louisiana and Texas. Peter peppers are mildly hot in flavor. The peter pepper plant is also often cultivated for ornamental purposes.

Peter pepper plants are characterized by their smooth, green evergreen leaves. The plants produce tiny and inconspicuous flowers that are white in color. Initially, the pods of the plant start out as green, but gradually change to deep red upon maturity. The pods are about two and a half inches long, and a quarter of an inch in width. The branches are both sturdy and strong. The plants can be anywhere from four to five feet tall, with widths of about one and a half feet. The stems are green.

The growing season for peter pepper plants lasts from the end of March up until the beginning of October. Peter pepper plants thrive when grown under full or partial sun, and are commonly cultivated under shade cloth. The plants are generally spaced about 16 inches away from each other in cultivation. Moist to normal levels of water are beneficial for the plants, which work well in loam and sandy soil types. To encourage the appearance of fruit, it is good to mist down the plant on a daily basis. It takes between 80 days and four months for peter pepper plants to attain full maturity.

Peter peppers are nicknamed "penis" peppers, bizarrely enough, due to their unusual shape, which, when fully ripe, is said to resemble the male anatomical part. As a result, the heirloom hot peppers are sometimes cultivated for ornamental purposes, although they generally are only found in private gardens.

How2Day