Chilli Peppers

Capsicum annuum and Capsicum frutescens

Chilli peppers

Chilli

Initially indigenous to only the Americas, chillies were not introduced to India and the East until the time of the Spanish colonies. The intense heat of a chilli is due to a chemical called capsaicin, and is measured in Scoville Units (SHU). A green chilli you buy in the supermarket comes in at about 1,500 SHU. The world record is held by the Bhut Jolokia at over 1,000,000 SHU!

Chillies come in all shapes and sizes, colours and tastes, from the tiny and hot to the mild and large. They are amazing fruits and are one of the most widely cultivated crops in the world.

There are 400 different types of chilli grown today but most of the ones we know come from just two species: Capsicum annuum and Capsicum frutescens.

You can eat them raw or cooked, make them into salsas and sauces or dry them into spices. What would our cooking taste like without these flavoursome and often fiery fruits?

Next: Chilli Peppers - History...

Did you know?

You can see a special display of chillies this summer in the Waterlily House at Kew

The smaller and thinner a chilli pepper is - the hotter it will be. Ouch!