The five kinds of chilli and what makes them different
The five kinds of chilli and what makes them different
Most chillies look similar until you grow or cook with them. Then the differences become obvious: some fruit quickly and cope with cool weather, some taste citrusy before they burn, some exist almost entirely for sauce, and one behaves like a mountain plant that ignores summer altogether. These patterns aren’t random — they belong to five cultivated species.
Knowing which group a chilli comes from helps you predict how it will grow, what the heat will feel like, and how it’s usually used in food. It turns a long list of varieties into something understandable.
▶ Select a card below to explore each species in more detail.
AnnuumCompact, adaptable plants producing an enormous range of fruit shapes, from sweet peppers to cayennes, typically with a direct, uncomplicated heat and fast maturity.
ChinenseBroad-leaved, slow-ripening plants bearing lantern-shaped pods whose dense tissues concentrate the highest capsaicin levels and a deep, tropical aroma.
BaccatumBaccatum chillies are slightly sprawling, vigorous plants and prolific producers of medium heat, fruity chillies.
FrutescensBushy plants carrying upright fruits in clusters, delivering a narrow, persistent heat with relatively little flesh and a sharp, immediate bite.
PubescensCool-tolerant, hairy-leaved plants with thick-walled fruits and black seeds, producing a steady, rounded heat distinct from lowland species.
Find out about the major species of chillies.
Annuum — the world’s cooking chillies
Chinense — the super-hot group
Baccatum — citrus-like from South America
Frutescens — small upright sauce peppers
Pubescens — thick-fleshed mountain chillies
World of Chillies was set up by Sarah Hunt in 2011 to promote chilli growing and the enjoyment of everything hot and spicy.
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