Hot Chilli Pepper. Highly ornamental. Deep purple-black foliage becomes smothered with pretty purple flowers that develop into cone shaped fruits in all colours of the rainbow. Approximately 30,000-50,000 SHUs.
Water the plants only when the soil feels dry just beneath the surface. Add water until it trickles from the base of the pot. Too much water can cause disease in peppers, so keep the soil slightly dry rather than soggy, if the plant develops yellow leaves.
Pruning in the beginning of the season, at the start of the summer, improves the quality of the peppers that will grow on the plant. Late season or early autumn pruning speeds up the ripening of any remaining chilis on the plant when the winter frost is coming soon.
These plants prefer a temperature range of 55-65°F at night and 70-80°F during the day. They like well-draining soil that's fairly rich in organic matter. If you're transplanting into containers, place some drainage material such as gravel in the bottom of the pot.
Pepper plants are in the Solanaceae plant family, which also includes violently poisonous nightshade and many other toxic species. Grown for centuries in Bolivia (Central South America), the Bolivian Rainbow chile is a stunningly beautiful plant. The peppers start out a brilliant purple and turn yellow to orange to red, with all stages of the pepper present on the plant at once, making it a bright and colorful addition to your garden or your home.
