Ornamental peppers begin setting fruit as the temperature starts to rise, and they keep producing through the fall. It seems like ornamental peppers are continually in flower, which means it’s very common to have multitudes of peppers in various stages of coloration on the same plant, explains Dr. Gary R. Bachman of Mississippi State University MSU Extension Service.
This week, he highlights the NuMex peppers that produce colorful ornamental – and by the way, edible – fruit. "These peppers were bred by my friends at the Chile Pepper Institute located at New Mexico State University."
NuMex peppers produce colorful ornamental – and by the way, edible – fruit. These peppers were bred at the Chile Pepper Institute located at New Mexico State University.
NuMex April Fools’ Day displays fruit pointing upwards in a tangle of long pods that resemble a joker’s hat. The colors start purple and mature to a bright orangey-red.
NuMex Chinese New Year produces numerous clusters of colorful green, orange and red chile peppers on compact and rounded growth. The fruit grows upright and is tapered, reaching up to 2 inches long.
NuMex Easter was a 2014 All-America Selections winner. This compact selection displays small clusters of grouped fruit on top of the plant. Colors range from lavender to light yellow, and when fully mature, they turn a light orange. These colors resemble the pastels of Easter eggs.
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