Chiltepin

Capsicum annuum

Chiltepin is the wild, bird-dispersed ancestor of the chile pepper, a small shrub bearing tiny fiery-hot red fruit beloved by birds. Native to far southern Texas and Arizona.

Family: Solanaceae
Type: shrub
Lifespan: perennial
Height: 1–4 ft
Spacing: 1–3 ft apart
Light: sun
Soil moisture: dry, moist
Soil pH: neutral, alkaline
Bloom: April, May, June, July, August, September
Bloom colors: white
Wildlife value: songbirds, pollinators
Landscape uses: foundation
Native states: AZ, CA, FL, HI, IN, MO, TX