How to grow ornamental chili peppers

Ornamental chilli peppers with brightly colored fruits are a beautiful addition to gardens and interiors, but growing them can be quite a challenge for beginners. That is why we have prepared a guide to growing ornamental peppers, where you will learn everything about germination, seedling production and care for these lovely plants.

Ornamental peppers belong to the same genus as other types of chilli, but they are cultivars bred for compact growth and colorful fruits. Because breeders focused on appearance rather than heat, flavor or aroma, their fruits are often bitter and not very hot. Another important characteristic of ornamental peppers is that their fruits usually grow on the tips of the plants, not among the leaves as is the case with most edible varieties. Popular ornamental chilli varieties include:

• Chilli pepper CANCUN is an ornamental variety with brightly red, orange to dark purple round fruits and small leaves. The plants are bushy with drooping branches and reach a maximum height of 50 centimeters. The CANCUN variety is suitable for planting in beds, greenhouses and pots.

• Chilli pepper AZTECO is an ornamental chilli with elongated, triangular-shaped fruits that are green at first and ripen to bright red to wine-black. A variety suitable for cultivation in growing containers, greenhouses, beds or indoor. Although ornamental, AZTECO bears fruits that can reach up to 450 000 SHU.

When and how to plant ornamental peppers

One of the most common mistakes of beginner ornamental pepper growers is planting too early. Seedlings sold in garden centers are often offered long before the weather is right for planting them outdoors. Move seedlings to an outdoor location only after the last frosts have passed. It is also important that nighttime air temperatures do not fall below 15 °C.

Seeds of ornamental pepper varieties need a temperature of at least 21 °C to germinate, and if you want to sow them directly in a bed or greenhouse, wait until the soil has warmed up sufficiently. In our latitudes this can take quite a while, which is why many growers prefer to start seedlings indoors. You can read how on our blog.

Read also: Chilli peppers: How to germinate and pre-grow seedlings

Plant ornamental pepper seedlings with three to four true leaves into soil at a spacing of 12–24 centimeters from each other, placing them into holes about 5 centimeters deep. Ornamental chilli plants are usually small and bushy and generally do not require staking.

Choosing a site for planting chilli

Ornamental peppers need at least 6–8 hours of sunlight daily, so look for a sunny spot in the garden. An advantage of ornamental chilli varieties is that the plants are relatively low and do not shade other plants in beds. Seedlings can also be grown in medium-sized fabric or plastic pots.

Make sure the soil for growing chilli has good drainage and retains moisture well. Ornamental peppers are quite sensitive to drought and the growing substrate should never dry out completely. If the soil at your chosen site does not seem ideal, you can improve it with compost, vermicompost (worm humus) or a quality garden substrate.

How to care for ornamental peppers

• Light

Ornamental peppers do best in full sun, which gives them the energy to produce flowers and fruits. If you decide to grow the plants indoors and want a bountiful crop of chilli peppers, it is appropriate to supplement them with artificial lighting for indoor plant cultivation.

• Soil

Ornamental peppers grow best in slightly acidic soil (pH 6.0 to 6.8) rich in nutrients. If you are growing them outdoors, remember to enrich the bed soil in spring with compost, vermicompost or a quality garden substrate. When growing chilli in pots use a medium- to heavily-fertilised, light substrate with perlite.

Read also: How to choose a garden substrate

• Watering

Ornamental peppers do not tolerate drought, but be careful of waterlogged substrate. Water whenever the soil surface is dry, while ensuring there is still moisture in the root zone. Plants grown in pots should be checked more frequently because the soil in them dries out faster.

• Temperature and humidity

Peppers enjoy warm weather; they perform best in full sun and grow faster at temperatures above 24 °C. Beware of planting seedlings into cold soil, which can cause the plants to remain stunted for the entire growing season.

• Fertilizer and nutrition

Ornamental peppers are somewhat less demanding in terms of nutrition than varieties grown for consumption, but they still need a steady supply of nutrients. During vegetative growth before flowering they require more nitrogen for rapid leaf and root development. During flowering ornamental peppers need more phosphorus and potassium to support blooming. Fertilizers for growth are usually labeled “grow”, fertilizers for the flowering phase “flower”. A simple solution is special fertilizers for growing chilli.

• Pollination

Like other pepper varieties, ornamental peppers have perfect flowers, which means each flower contains both male and female reproductive organs and can set fruit without pollinating insects.

Ready to start growing chilli peppers but missing equipment? On our e-shop you can find everything needed for growing chilli indoor and outdoor.