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Capsicum frutescens
| Family Name: | Solanaceae |
| Common Name: | Chilli Padi, Bird's Eye Chilli, Peri Peri, Tabasco, 辣椒, 小米辣 |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Shrub |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Plant Shape | Shrubby |
| Maximum Height | 1 m to 1.5 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | South America |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a shrubby plant. |
|---|---|
| Roots | The plant is supported by a short to long taproot with many spreading lateral roots and fibrous roots. |
| Stems | The stem of mature plants are woody but moderately soft and weak. Older branches are light gray. |
| Flowers | Greenish-white with blue or yellow anthers occur in groups of two or more at the nodes. The common features of frutescens cultivars are their greenish flowers and their steeply upwards direction pedicles; also the small and pointed fruits keep their upright position until maturity. |
| Fruit | The berries is red when mature, tapered. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Food (Fruit or Vegetable): The fruits are very popular used in all kind of dishes, soups or salad. It may be used fresh or dried, ripe or unripe, cooked or raw. (Herb or Spice) Medicinal: It is used as a salve to relieve muscle, joint, and toothache pain, etc. Others: The coatings and powders are used to break children of thumb sucking and nail biting. Anciently, it was even used as an instrument of torture. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Fruits |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | General, Flowerbed / Border, Container Planting |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna | Bird-Attracting (Fruits) |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Drought Tolerant, Moist Soils, Waterlogged Soils (Drains Site), Well-Drained Soils, Poor Infertile Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils, Easy to Grow |
| Transplanting Tolerance | Moderate |
| Maintenance Requirements | Moderate |
| Pest(s) | Nematodes |
| Propagation Method | Seed |
| Seed / Spore Germination Duration | 13 days to 30 days |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth, Glossy / Shiny, Leathery |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acute |
| Foliar Base | Truncate / Square, Auriculate |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 4.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Dicot) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Stem Type & Modification | Woody |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground (Tap Root) |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower Colour(s) | White, Green - Light Green |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Solitary |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Red, Green, Orange, Purple |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Smooth, Glossy / Shiny |
| Mature Seed Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White |
| Mature Seed Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Moderate (6-10), Several (11-20) |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 485 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 5206 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
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