Content
- 1 Origin
- 2 Description of Habanero pepper with photo
- 3 Characteristics of Habanero pepper
- 4 Advantages and disadvantages
- 5 Best Habanero Varieties
- 6 Growing Habanero peppers indoors from seeds
- 7 Transplanting habanero pepper seedlings into open ground
- 8 Outdoor care
- 9 Conclusion
- 10 Reviews from gardeners about habanero peppers
Habanero pepper is a very hot, but tasty and healthy product. The crop can be grown on your own plot, but before that you need to learn the basic rules.
Origin
The Habanero pepper is native to the Yucatan Peninsula, which belongs to Mexico, and the Caribbean islands. In these regions, the vegetable was grown many centuries ago by the ancient Incas and Mayans. After the discovery of America by Columbus, pepper spread throughout the world.Its popularity was so high that in the 18th century, many botanists believed that the product originally appeared in Asia, and from there it came to the Amazon. The name Habanero pepper was given in honor of the Cuban city of Havana.
Description of Habanero pepper with photo
Habanero pepper bushes rise up to 1 m above the ground and are compact in size. The plant has branched stems and small elliptical leaves. The flowers of the species are single, with white, cream or purple petals.
Habanero fruits are heart-shaped and resemble paprika in appearance. Their length usually does not exceed 6 cm and width - 2.5 cm. The skin of the fruit is smooth, with a waxy coating, the color is usually orange, red or dark brown, although white or pink varieties are also found. Peppers gain color gradually and remain green during the first stages of ripening.
Habanero pepper fruit weight averages 35-50 g
Habanero pepper heat according to the Scoville scale
To determine the spiciness of vegetables, it is customary to use a special Scoville scale. The Habanero pepper is located towards the top. The pungency of the fruit ranges from 100,000 to 475,000 units, depending on the variety.
Characteristics of Habanero pepper
Before planting pepper on a site, you need to study its characteristics and scope of application. The product is used not only for cooking, but also for medicinal purposes.
Productivity and fruiting time
Habanero pepper has a high yield - one adult bush can produce 90-100 vegetables per year or 2-3 kg. At the same time, fruiting rates are highly dependent on weather conditions. In tropical regions, the species forms ovaries throughout the year and demonstrates maximum productivity.In temperate climates, the fruits ripen only once per season, and an average of up to 1 kg of vegetables can be harvested from one plant.
Pepper ripening takes 90-100 days from planting. Typically harvested in mid to late summer.
Disease resistance
The culture has good immunity and rarely suffers from fungal diseases. Sometimes it is affected by fusarium and blackleg. Planting pests are attacked by aphids, nematodes and whiteflies.
Growing regions
The heat-loving type of hot pepper does not take root well in temperate climates. All over the world and in Russia, the vegetable is grown in subtropical and tropical areas.
The main growing regions are Panama, Colombia and Ecuador, as well as Texas, California and Idaho in the USA. In Russia, it is most convenient to cultivate the crop in the Krasnodar Territory, Rostov Region and Crimea.
Habanero peppers can be planted both in open ground and in a greenhouse.
Beneficial features
The hot habanero pepper has numerous valuable properties. It is used not only in cooking, but also in medicine. The product contains:
- B vitamins;
- copper, iron and iodine;
- ascorbic acid;
- retinol;
- vitamin D;
- alkaloids;
- calcium.
The substance capsaicin in hot peppers deserves special mention. It has pronounced analgesic properties and accelerates metabolic processes in the body.
With moderate consumption of Habanero:
- fights inflammation and infectious processes;
- helps to lose excess weight and increases the absorption of valuable substances;
- reduces blood pressure in hypertension;
- improves the condition of flu and colds;
- relieves pain and eliminates swelling due to joint ailments;
- improves the condition of hair and skin;
- promotes the production of endorphins;
- helps fight stress and depression.
Pepper fruits can be used as a natural aphrodisiac. The product accelerates blood circulation, prevents congestion in the pelvic area and stimulates libido in men and women.
Methods of application
The culture has a very pungent taste and causes a feeling of real fire in the mouth. All varieties are distinguished by strong pungency. At the same time, in orange varieties you can additionally distinguish bitter notes and a citrus aroma, and in chocolate varieties - a light “smoky” aftertaste.
In cooking, the culture is used both fresh and dried. Pepper fruits cannot be consumed as an independent product, so habanero is used as a spicy seasoning. The spice goes best with:
- with vegetable salads;
- with seafood;
- with fish and meat;
- with hot soups.
In medicine, hot pepper extracts are added mainly to painkillers intended for external use. Ointments and gels help accelerate local blood flow and help quickly cope with the inflammatory process. Habanero peppers are used for cosmetic purposes. Fresh vegetable juice stimulates hair growth and prevents hair loss. Products with the addition of hot pepper are used to get rid of cellulite.
Advantages and disadvantages
Habanero chili peppers are just as popular as the sweet, mild-tasting varieties due to their medicinal properties and numerous uses. The fruits of the crop can be harvested, including for the winter as part of canning or drying methods.
Habanero pepper is used as an ornamental plant
pros
- low care requirements;
- good yield;
- numerous medicinal properties;
- unique taste characteristics;
- beautiful appearance of the bushes;
- versatility.
Minuses
- The variety is heat-loving and does not tolerate frost;
- You need to wear gloves when picking fruits;
- often suffers from nematodes;
- can lead to serious poisoning in case of overdose.
Best Habanero Varieties
To grow in open ground, it is necessary, first of all, to choose a suitable plant variety. There are quite a few varieties, of which several of the most popular can be identified.
Habanero Red Caribbean
An early-ripening, large-fruited variety produces bright red vegetables 110-115 days after planting. It has a pungent taste with light citrus notes and a smoky aroma. According to the Scoville scale, it has 330,000-445,000 units of pungency.
Habanero Red Caribbean is a traditional element of Mexican cuisine.
Habanero Fataly
The yellow hot habanero pepper is grown primarily in South Africa. The fruits of the variety are cone-shaped and elongated. The taste is pleasant, with pronounced fruity notes.
The heat of Habanero Fatali is quite mild compared to other varieties.
Habanero Red Savina
The hot red Habanero pepper produces very juicy and hot fruits and is used in the preparation of many South American dishes. On the Scoville scale it has 200,000-250,000 units.
Until 2006, Habanero Red Savina was considered the hottest pepper in the world.
Habanero Tigerpaw
Orange hot pepper has a pungency in the range of 260,000-370,000 units on the corresponding scale. It has a fruity aroma and light citrus flavors.
Habanero Tigerpaw pepper demonstrates special resistance to fungal diseases
Habanero Orange
The hot orange Habanero pepper has an unusual taste with distinct apricot notes. The degree of pungency reaches 300,000 units, the fruits of the variety are golden in color, up to 4 cm in length.
Habanero Orange pepper is considered one of the most decorative varieties
Habanero White
The variety bears small oval fruits of a whitish color. Reaches 300,000 pungency units on a special scale. The disadvantages of Habanero White include its capriciousness and high requirements for growing conditions.
Habanero White fruits reach 3 cm in length
Habanero Chocolate
Hot Habanero Chocolate pepper bears dark brown large and fleshy fruits. It is considered one of the hottest, since it has 350,000-475,000 units on the Scoville scale.
The taste of Habanero Chocolate contains smoky, peach and citrus notes at the same time.
Growing Habanero peppers indoors from seeds
Even in the southern regions, Habanero peppers are grown using seedlings. The crop is extremely susceptible to the slightest cold snap, so mature seedlings are transferred to open ground only at the end of spring.
Landing dates
Pepper seeds are usually sown in the soil at the end of February. This allows you to get seedlings in 2-4 weeks and grow strong and healthy seedlings by the time the final heat sets in.
Preparing the soil and container
To grow Habanero peppers in a pot, you need to take care, first of all, of a nutritious substrate. It is usually prepared from humus, garden soil and peat. The components are mixed in a ratio of 1:2:1.
It is recommended to use degradable peat cups as containers. It is also allowed to sow seeds in a common wooden or plastic box. But in this case, the container must first be disinfected by treating it with boiling water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Seed preparation
To successfully germinate Habanero, the seeds must also be treated. The procedure is as follows:
- The seeds are placed at small intervals on damp gauze or a napkin.
- Cover the top with another piece of dampened cloth.
- Place in a moderately lit, warm place for several days until sprouts appear.
Before planting, the material can be soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate to protect against fungi.
How to plant habanero pepper seedlings
Vegetable crops are planted according to the standard scheme:
- Fill the container or peat pots with prepared soil.
- The germinated seeds are buried 5 mm into the soil.
- Spray the soil generously with warm, settled water.
- Cover the container with film until shoots form.
The cover from the container must be removed daily for ventilation.
When sowing seeds in a common box, leave a few centimeters of free space between them.
Seedling care
When caring for Habanero peppers on the windowsill, the seedlings need to be moistened as the soil dries.At the 3-4 leaf stage, when propagated in a large box, plants require thinning. Seedlings are picked and planted in separate cups.
If there is not enough sun, peppers need to be illuminated with special lamps. The length of the day for him must be at least 16 hours.
Transplanting habanero pepper seedlings into open ground
The crop is transferred to the soil at the end of April or beginning of May after the return frosts have passed. Choose a place that is well lit, but with light shading, without drafts. The area is first dug up, weeded and fertilized with humus and complex minerals.
The transplantation itself is carried out using the transshipment method while preserving the earthen clod. The holes are dug on average about 50 cm deep.
Outdoor care
Pepper care comes down to a few simple procedures:
- Watering. It is necessary to moisten the crop on average once every three days with 1.5 liters of water per bush.
- Feeding. In the spring, during active growth, peppers are fertilized with nitrogen, and during flowering and fruiting, phosphorus and potassium are added.
- Trimming. It is recommended to remove the first buds on the plant so that the bushes accumulate more strength and then demonstrate maximum productivity.
Throughout the season, the soil under the pepper roots must be loosened shallowly to improve oxygen access.
Conclusion
Habanero pepper is an interesting and healthy type of crop with a spicy and fiery taste. It is recommended to grow a heat-loving vegetable in the southern regions, but in general the care rules are very simple.
Reviews from gardeners about habanero peppers
