How to Identify Pepper Plants in 6 Easy Steps

Growing pepper plants are fairly easy, but you can easily get lost in the process of identifying what type of chili you’re growing. That is why you must learn how to identify peppers and chilis since each variety can also have different growth and care requirements.

Peppers plants can produce big, small, red, spicy, and mildly hot fruits. Knowing what variety you currently have will help set your expectations when harvest season comes. While some may find it difficult to identify similar-looking peppers, knowing the basics will help set you off in planting the right type of Pepper you want.

How to Identify Pepper Plants in 6 Easy Steps

Among the most popular type of peppers are Bell peppers, Cayenne peppers, and Jalapeno Peppers. Identifying pepper plants involves a simple process and knowing the steps will surely make you a better gardener in the future.

 

6 Steps in Identifying Pepper Plants

There are many varieties of pepper plants and it can be confusing at times. There are several species and each of them varies in shape, size, flower appearance, and even the leaves. If you’re planning on planting peppers in your garden, you must know how to identify them.

Here’s how you can do it:

 

Step #1: Check the seeds

The first step in identifying pepper plants is to be familiar with the seeds. If it’s dark, it’s most likely a C. pubescent pepper species, and the corolla, or petals, would appear violet in color as the plant grows. However, if you see a straw-colored seed and your pepper plant’s petals are green or white, it’s most likely from another species of pepper plants.

When you have a mixture of seeds collected, be sure to separate them by color. Pale-colored seeds are usually the sweet and less spicy variants of pepper, while darker seeds may produce hotter types of peppers.

 

Step #2.: Identify the petals of your pepper plants

Next is to classify the petals. Yellowish spots on the bases of the corolla’s lobes are indications of pepper plants belonging to the C. baccatum species. If these are absent, proceed to identify its blooms.

  1. Pubescent flowers should show violet or purple blooms. But if the blooms appear greenish or white, you may have to proceed to identify its calyx.

 

Step #3:  Identify its blooms

For flowers with purple corollas, further identification may require the gardener to identify its flowers. Pepper plants with solitary flowers belong to the C. annum species while Pepper plants with more than one blooms on each node more likely belong to the C. chinense variety.

 

Step #4: Identify the fruit’s calyx

Check the calyx of the mature fruit. Try to look for rings or constrictions in the area between the pedicel and calyx of the grown fruit. If it’s present, then it belongs to the C. chinense variety. If it’s absent at the junction, go back to identifying its flowers. For solitary flowers, check the corolla again to sort its characteristics further (Step 3).

 

Step #5: Check the number of flowers

Take note of the number of flowers on your pepper plant’s nodes and check the flowers’ petals properly. For solitary flowers, examine the corolla. If it appears white like milk and its pedicel and lobes are straight, the pepper belongs to the C.annum variety.

On the other hand, petals that appear green or white, with lobes rolled backward are an indication that the plant belongs to the C. frutescens species of peppers. indicates that the plant belongs to C frutescens.

 

Step #6: Continue to identify pepper plants

Continue to identify your pepper plants and compare their flowers. If more than two flowers are present at each of the nodes, the corolla is white with a hint of green rather than creamy in color, and the pedicels appear upright as the flowers bloom, then the peppers are of the C. frutescens variety. On the other hand, C. chinense variety will show blooms with straight corolla lobes.

 

Growing Pepper Plants inside a Greenhouse

Greenhouse gardening offers numerous benefits that are helpful in plants. It is beneficial beyond the benefits of traditional gardening. Temperatures are controlled within a greenhouse that fits the plant’s needs.

Aside from that, here are the other benefits of growing pepper plants inside greenhouses:

 

Protection from strong winds

Greenhouses offer protection from harsh winds for your pepper plants. With the structure enclosed with plastic films or glass, strong winds won’t be able to create considerable damage to the structure of your pepper plant. With that, you’ll be assured that your pepper plant will survive and continue to bear fruits.

 

Protection from pests

Pepper plants are extremely prone to pest infestations like aphids, cutworms, flea beetles, corn borers, and whiteflies. When these aren’t controlled, it could eat up the plant entirely. Secured and well-covered greenhouses, however, can keep these pest infestations at a minimal and will ensure that you’ll be able to control them before the infestations become worse.

 

Enjoy organic peppers

Since there are lesser pests to deal with, pesticide use is also kept at minimal. With that, you can enjoy Peppers that are organic and free of any chemicals.

 

How to Identify Peppers: Final Tips

The most important thing to remember when learning how to identify peppers is to pay attention to details. From the seeds, you will have an idea of what type of pepper you’re growing and what species it belongs to. It could be confusing at times but with the steps in mind, you’ll have a guide to follow, and identifying will be easier.

Pepper plants can range from sweet to very spicy. That is why it is important to know how to identify pepper plants before consuming them. Also, you could provide the best care that it needs when you know exactly what species of your plant belongs in.

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