[mike2niner4]

Hey,

I went to the garden centre and bought myself a nice and small lemon tree and also i saw these little chilli plants which are quite small yet had lots of nice chilli things on the top. There were red, orange and yellow ones and i got a yellow one. It's only small and on the pot it has the name: 'Capsicum Annuum'.

It doesnt say anything about eating them and i wondered what a herbaceous annual is as it says it is and can you eat them?

Many Thanks

Mike

[iwantanallotment]

It's an edible sweet pepper, Mike. Herbaceous annual just means it dies after its fruiting season  

[mike2niner4]

When you say die, do you me thats it or will it come up again next year?

Thanks

Mike

[iwantanallotment]

It'll die, but you can keep seeds from a pepper to grow more next year  

[mike2niner4]

ow:(

Whens its season finish?

Mike

[gobs]

All capsicum  is perennial - in its own native habitat - and all capsicum is edible. Capsicum Annuum just happens to be a very misleading and silly name.  I do nt know what to make of herbacious annual either, personally...


Anyhow, that's what the species are called. Plenty of varieties within, species are  no particular reference to heat levels or complete lack of, commonly. I'd guess though it's a hot thing rather than a sweet pepper.  

[Fat Hen]

All capsicum  is perennial - in its own native habitat - and all capsicum is edible. Capsicum Annuum just happens to be a very misleading and silly name.  I do nt know what to make of herbacious annual either, personally...


Anyhow, that's what the species are called. Plenty of varieties within, species are  no particular reference to heat levels or complete lack of, commonly. I'd guess though it's a hot thing rather than a sweet pepper.  

Gobs is correct.  All chillis/peppers are perenial god knows where the name annum comes from in relation to these but it is completely misleading (but note it is annum, not annual).  Given the  right conditions peppers will produce for many yrs.  If you want to try "overwintering", when it has finnished fruiting, cut it back, re-pot in fresh soil, give a good feed and keep in frost free (>12 deg C) conditions.  Don't water too much, just enough to prevent soil drying out completely.  The plant should lie dormant like this for a couple of months and probably "wake up" around early march.  There is really insufficient light for the plant to thrive so maybe let it grow till April and cut any leggy growth.

Second yr plants should provide a much higher crop than first yr.  And some varieties of chilli go on producing more and more fruit each year (some chinense and my favourites Rocotos (pubescens))