The mild peppers include bell, banana, pimento and sweet cherry. The hot peppers include the cayenne, celestial, large cherry and tabasco. Bell peppers measuring 3 inches wide by 4 inches long usually have three or four lobes and a blocky appearance. They are commonly harvested when green, yet they will turn red or yellow when fully ripe. About 200 varieties are available.
Banana peppers are long and tapering and harvested when yellow, orange or red.
Plant Hungarian wax if a mild hot variety is desired. Cherry peppers vary in size and flavor. Usually they are harvested when orange to deep red. Slim, pointed, slightly twisted fruits characterize the hot cayenne pepper group. These can be harvested either when green or red and include varieties such as anaheim, cayenne, serrano and jalapeno.