List of Capsicum cultivars

This is alist ofCapsicumcultivarsbelonging to the five majorspeciesof cultivated peppers (genusCapsicum):C. annuum,C. chinense,C. baccatum,C. frutescens, andC. pubescens. Due to the large and changing number ofcultivars, and the variation of cultivar namings in different regions, this list only gives a few examples of the estimated 5000 pepper varieties that exist.
There are perhaps fifty thousandCapsicumcultivarsgrown worldwide.TheUSDA-ARS GRINseed collection contains 6,200Capsicumaccessions alone, including 4,000Capsicum annuumaccessions. The otherCapsicumspecies in theUSDAgermplasmrepositoryinclude:C. chinense,C. baccatum,C. frutescens,C. pubescens,C. cardenasii,C. chacoense,C. flexuosum,C. eximium,C. rhomboideum, C. galapagoense,andC. tovarii.
There are five major species of cultivatedCapsicum,C. annuum,C. chinense,C. baccatum,C. frutescens,C. pubescens, and within those species are several "taxonomicvarieties". Because of the ability of many of species to cross and generate inter-specific hybrids, albeit with low success, there are also what is referred to as "complexes" within the genusCapsicumof closely related and sexually compatible species.This includes theCapsicum annuum complex,which consists ofC. annuum, C. frutescens,andC. chinense.
Major species and their taxonomic varieties:
The species and varieties include many economically importantcultivarswith a variety of different shapes, colors, and flavors that are grown for different purposes, such as spices, vegetables, and herbal medicines. Some confusion has resulted from the legal term "plant variety", which is used interchangeably with "cultivar" (not with "taxonomic variety"). The terminology around a cultivar also includes terms such as heirloom, open-pollinated,self-pollinating, and hybrid.
Heirloom varietiesare typically those that have been selected and grown historically with seeds saved every year, and are still maintained today in similar fashion, such as the blocky-type California Wonder.Open-pollinatedvarieties are those that are maintained without strict barriers to preventoutcrossingand then seed is collected at and stored from each harvest such as the lamuyo-type Marconi Yellow. While open-pollinated varieties are typicallytrue-to-type, there may be occasional outcrossing to otherCapsicumvarieties that may introduce someheterogeneity. Self-pollinated varieties are similar to open-pollinated varieties in that they are true-to-type and seed is collected at and stored from each harvest, but measures are taken to minimize outcrossing. This may involve placing a barrier such as a mesh bag or cage over the plant to preventpollinatorsfrom reaching flowers, ensuring that the plant has "selfed". This is how much seed intended for home-garden use is produced, like the cultivar Early Jalapeño. These three types of cultivar seed production are all similar in that only one parent is used and the seed are produced generally throughself-pollination.
Hybridvarieties take advantage of a phenomenon calledheterosisor hybrid vigor, which occurs in pepper. To generate a hybrid variety, two self-pollinated varieties are intentionally crossed, and all seed from this cross are collected. The new hybrid variety typically is more vigorous than either of the two parents contributing to traits such as higher yield.Inter-specific crossing may result in a hybrid of diminished fertility due to specific genetic incompatibilities. In some cases, this may be overcome by deliberately selecting which of the two parents is to be the female parent in the cross.Hybrid seed if saved will not produce ahomogeneousset of plants the next generation, meaning that the two parents will need to be crossed again to generate more hybrid seed. This method is used to produce hybridCapsicumcultivars such as the blocky types Double-Up and Orange Blaze. Much of the commercial pepper production uses hybrid varieties for their improved traits.
Capsicum annuum, native from southernNorth AmericathroughCentral AmericatoSouth America, has been cultivated byIndigenous peoples of the Americasfor thousands of years, and globally for over 400 years.Its fruit forms are varied, from large to small, sweet to sour, and very hot/pungent to bland. Despite being a single species,C. annuumhas many forms, with a variety of names, even in the same language. Official names aside, inAmerican English, any variety lacking heat is colloquially known as asweet pepper, and those sweet peppers that have a blocky shape are referred to asbell peppers. A variety that producescapsaicinis colloquially known as ahot pepperorchili pepper. InBritish English, the sweet varieties are called "peppers"and the hot varieties "chillies",whereas inAustralian EnglishandIndian English, the name "capsicum" is commonly used for bell peppers exclusively and "chilli" is often used to encompass the hotter varieties.
The plant is a tenderperennialsubshrub, with a densely branched stem. The plant reaches 0.5–1.5 m (20–59 in). Single white flowers develop into the fruit, which is typically green when unripe, but may lack chlorophyll causing a white color. Ripening fruits usually change to red, although some varieties may ripen to yellow, orange, peach, brown, or purple. The species are grown in temperate climates as anannual, but they are especially productive in warm and dry climates.
These have a distinctive, fruity flavor, and are commonly ground into colorful powders for use in cooking, each identified by its color.
Capsicum chinenseor "Chinese capsicum" is a misnomer since allCapsicumspecies originated in theNew World.Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin(1727–1817), a Dutchbotanist, named the species in that way in 1776 because he believed they originated inChina. Most of the peppers of this species have a distinctive flavor and are similar in flavor to each other.
Sometimes considered to be the same species asC. annuum
Capsicum pubescensis among the oldest of domesticated peppers, and was grown as long as 5,000 years ago.It is probably related to undomesticated plants that still grow in South America (C. cardenasii,C. eximium, and others).