What is Cayenne Pepper? – When to Pick Cayenne Peppers? 

I just wondered what cayenne pepper is and why everyone praises it as being good for heart patients. To find out if this is actually true or just a myth, I decided to grow it in my garden. You know what? I was shocked. It is actually very useful and easy to grow.

Don’t worry, I’ve shared all the information regarding cayenne pepper that I found interesting. If you also want them to thrive in your garden, just go through all the growing stages of cayenne pepper. If you have any other issues, just ask me in the comment section.

Key takeaways:

• You can use the cayenne peppers as dried spice and even you can use them for baking cakes, they can be used in fresh dishes and even in powdered form.
• These are the perennials that will be grown as annuals in areas with cold weather conditions.
• Their harvesting period may decrease the next year as compared to the first year.
• Some people get confused when it comes to picking these peppers like serrano peppers, bell peppers, and Banana peppers as picking them at the wrong time will be wasted.
• They are famous worldwide as the chili peppers that are used for spice food, especially in the United States and Mexico.

Being a spicy lover, it is obvious that you would have grown hot peppers in your home garden. If you haven’t grown hot peppers then you are going wrong as being a gardener and the one who loves spicy food will grow the amazing peppers in their yard. You can plant the amazing peppers in the springtime and they will grow quickly. 

Before proceeding, you should be aware of the exact meaning of the cayenne pepper, so let’s jump into that information. 

What is Cayenne Pepper? 

Cayenne pepper is a type of hot pepper that is loved by all and it is red. They are famous for their spiciness and flavor. It holds various health benefits too. Cayenne peppers are part of the nightshade family just like other peppers such as serrano peppers, jalapenos, bell peppers, etc.

Do you know the reason behind this spiciness? It is a component named capsaicin that makes it spicy. You can eat them raw and even by cooking them. 

If you are thinking about the origin of this anime, then you should know that it originated from the place of Cayenne in the South American country located in French Guiana. Its powdered material is used by most people as a spicy ingredient in dishes. 

Common Name	Cayenne pepper
Botanical Name	Capsicum annuum ‘Cayenne’
Family	Solanaceae
Plant Type	Perennial, vegetable
Size	1–4 ft. tall, 1–2 ft. wide
Sun Exposure	Full sun
Soil Type	Moist, well-drained
Soil pH	Acidic, neutral
Bloom Time	Summer
Hardiness Zones	9–11 (USDA)
Native Area	South America, Central America
Toxicity	Mildly toxic to people1

Types of cayenne pepper seeds:  

• Red ember
• Long hot thin
• The classic cayenne 
• Cayennetta 
• Purple cayenne 

What to do with cayenne peppers

1. You should wait for the cayenne peppers to change their color to red.  2. To save its seeds for future purposes, you need to wait.  3. Do not manage the plant by pulling the pepper.

When to pick Cayenne peppers? 

If you know when you should pick the spicy cayenne peppers, then it is good. If not, then be here. Guys, if you have your cayenne pepper in the container, pot, or outdoors, then it will take about 90 to 100 days for the harvesting at the time of mid-summer. You will come to know about the picking of the peppers by keeping a check on their color and their looks. If it is having bright red color with waxy skin, then you have to check its density and if they match the mentioned conditions then they are ready to be picked up. 

By picking them in their green color, there will be no taste. If you keep picking the coming peppers, then the plant will grow more and more chili peppers for you. You can cut them smoothly, try not to damage the plant. When they get mature by attaining a red color, they get ready for picking and you can use them in your way. You have to pick all the chili peppers before the frost. 

Is there any benefit to growing cayenne pepper? 

There are advantages and drawbacks to everything in this world. So why not the pepper plant? Of course, there are various benefits of pepper that you need to be aware of. Below are its benefits:

• Cayenne pepper has various nutrients like fats, proteins, vitamin C, etc. 
• It will improve your overall health if consumed daily. 
• Without adding salt to your dishes, it will give a delicious taste. 
• It can be used in powdered form, dried form, raw, cooked, etc. 
• It can help in lowering the level of blood pressure. 
• It will help in the good functioning of the immune system and you can also grow companion plants with it. 

Cayenne Pepper Nutrition

The following are some nutrition that are contained in 5 grams of cayenne pepper such as:

• Calories: 17
• Fat: 1 gram
• Carbs: 3 grams
• Fiber: 1.4 grams
• Protein: 0.6 grams
• Vitamin A: 44% of the RDI
• Vitamin E: 8% of the RDI
• Vitamin C: 7% of the RDI
• Vitamin B6: 6% of the RDI
• Vitamin K: 5% of the RDI
• Manganese: 5% of the RDI
• Potassium: 3% of the RDI
• Riboflavin: 3% of the RDI

How can one use the Cayenne Peppers? 

Cayenne peppers have various advantages and are used too. You can even use them in your way as well. So, let’s have a look at its uses: 

• You can make chili flakes by drying them up. 
• By grinding them and making their powder, you can use them. 
• You can make your spicy sauce with the help of these peppers. 
• You can even cook them by taking some garlic and sugar, then some ketchup in a container or bowl. Cook it for 2-3 hours and your chili and tangy ketchup will be ready for a taste. 
• You can use them as pizza toppings.
• You can spread them in your garden so that the animals stay away from your garden. 
• There are many substitutes for cayenne pepper like red pepper, Guajillo, Jalapeno Powder, etc.

Cayenne Pepper Growth Stages:

There are certain growing stages  by which a Cayenne pepper undergoes such as:

Seed Planting: 

For growing the C9 papers with the help of seed you need to gently push the seat into a seed starting mix which will help you to keep this soil moist and warm and make sure no to over Water the seed.

Germination: 

The next stage is the germination stage in which the cayenne pepper seeds will start germinating in approximately a week or to wake after you seed the plant. You need to maintain a temperature of about 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit for seed germination.

Sprout: 

After some time of germination you will see the plant sprouting such as a little green stem will start growing from the soil. 

Seedling: 

After the sprouting stage, it will begin to develop leaves.

Plant: 

After growing the plant to a certain size it will start to robust the root system that they need more space and if the environment is warm then you can move the plant out also.

Flowers: 

Here comes the stage of growing flowers in yellow and white color. Flower undergoes the step of pollination which depends upon certain insects like butterflies or the plant can also self-pollinate. 

Fruiting Plant:

After growing flowers, the next stage comes of popping up of fruits. 

Concluding lines 

The spiciness is loved by most people in this era just like me. By planting cayenne peppers in your yard you can add the taste to your livelihood. These are the perennials that will be grown as annuals in areas with cold weather conditions. Their harvesting period may decrease the next year as compared to the first year. They can be replanted and you can enjoy the benefits of the cayenne peppers. So, choose them at the right time for the spicy taste. 

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