Peppers (9/13/22)

Peppers belong to the $Solanace$ Family (also known as the $nightshade$ family - many other plants belonging to the nightshade family are poisonous)

Peppers are native to $Mexico$ and Central America

1. $Bell$ peppers: large, blocky no pungent (sweet, or at least not spicy)
2. Anaheim $Chile$ peppers: contains cayennes, pungent
3. $Jalapeño$ peppers: small, bullet-shaped green when ripe, red when mature, spicy
4. $Cherry$ peppers: can be pungent or non-pungent
5. $Wax$ peppers: contains banana peppers, usually yellow, can be pungent or nonpungent
6. $Tabasco$ peppers: most pungent (in North America) can be pickled when immature, used in pepper sauces when mature
7. $Habanero$ peppers: one of the hottest!

   $Bhut Jolokia$: ghost chile pepper (1.2 M Scoville)

The amount of $capsaicin$ determines the heat of the pepper (which is $alkaloid$).

Capsaicin is not affected by cold or heat (cooking does not take away the spice).

Capsaicin is NOT the seed, but actually the $placental tissues$ (released by glands) around the seeds.

Consuming capsaicin releases neurotransmitters (endorphins) that signal a painful sensation that is followed by pleasure.

Amount of heat is measured by the $Scoville$ test (measured in Scoville units) - basically a human eats a pepper and records it’s heat level.

Getting rid of burning: Drink milk, eat yogurt or dairy products. The $casein$ protein in dairy reacts with capsaicin.

$Pepper production$: warm season plant, needs at least 8hrs of full sunlight, and fertile well drained soil. - plant from the 1st of may through about the 15th of July in 1’x3’ formation. Peppers can’t be direct seeded, only open pollinated or hybrid.