Capsicum: Annuum
Origin: USA
PI:
Flower: erect, stellate
Petals: white
Spots: no
Calyx: toothless
Pods: 1" 2" Green > orange > red
Seed: yellow-brown
Leaves: medium, glabrous
Plant height: 18-24"
Maturity: 70 Days
Habit: sturdy, tree-like bush
Scoville units: 25,000-30,000
Germ. Time: 1 wk > 2 mo.

Very unusual and ornamental pepper plant is variegated both on the foliage and the peppers themselves. Both leaves and fruit are striped with creamy white and green, with the peppers eventually turning orange-red. Very hot fruit, 1 to 2 in. long, was used to season fish and shellfish in the African-American communities around Baltimore and Philadelphia back in the 1930's and 1940's. Plants are attractive enough just to be used as ornamentals, but peppers are prized for use in cooking.

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This is one of the prettiest peppers I've grown! A couple of years ago, I planted them in among the perennials in my front flower bed, to take full advantage of the streaky variegated pattern on the leaves and the brilliant color of the mature fruits. I include these in the homemade hot sauce I make for my husband, as they pack quite a flavor wallop. These are significantly hotter than jalapeno peppers, though less hot than habaneros.

Though I believe this is an heirloom variety, my saved seed did not come true to the parent plants. I suspect cross-pollination with other pepper varieties. I liked this one well enough to justify re-ordering seed each year, though!

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I have grown this pepper for several years. It is an heirloom, brought over from Africa by the slaves who were purchased to work the indigo and rice plantations in the Carolinas. These slaves came from the west coast of Africa. I have found it to come true from seed, but as with all peppers it will cross pollinate if it is not separated from other peppers that you are growing.

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