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Garden pepper
Habit (mature) · PierreSelim / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0
Limited coverage
Garden pepper
Capsicum annuum
A warm-season vegetable producing sweet bell, hot cayenne, jalapeño, paprika, and ornamental cultivars all from a single species — capsaicin content varies dramatically across cultivars while the plant itself remains uniform in habit (compact mounded warm-season annual). NC State documents capsaicin-immune birds as opportunistic fruit consumers; self-pollinating with optional cross-pollination from bees increases fruit set.
Native: 15 US states
Review: Source-backed
Edible
Container
Light
Full sun
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
12-44" tall · 18" apart
Hardy in zones
Annual; NC State profile lists 4a-11b context
Summer heat range
Warm-Extreme
warm to extreme summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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Native across 15 US states and Canadian provinces — a wide-ranging part of North America's plant communities.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Cold hardiness
This plant is grown as an annual; hardiness zones don't apply.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Garden pepper (Capsicum annuum). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/pepper
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY 3.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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