Cultivation has shifted from the tropics towards subtropical and temperate zones with hot summers. The main producers are South America, North America, Hungary, the Balkans, the South of France, Italy, Spain, India and China. Requires warmth, sun, humidity and humus-rich soil.
Peppers originate from the tropical areas of mid and South America.
The pepper was brought to Europe by the Spanish. The pungent, hot spicy fruit, the aroma of which derives from the alkaloid capaicin, was used as a spice in the middle Ages and since antiquity. They exceed the fruit size of their wild predecessors by 20-fold. The fruit should be consistent, thickly fleshed, and have a good taste. Further breeding aims are plant sturdiness, uniform ripening, resistance to viral and fungal diseases and improving cold tolerance.