Perennial Capsicum /Capsicum annuum v. perennial/
Most capsicums are treated as an annual but there is one variety ‘Perennial’ that lives for 3-5 years.
It is a bushy plant growing up to 1m in good conditions.
It has a long growing season and produces masses of small sweet capsicums that ripen from green to red.
The thick-walled fruit are 3cm by 8cm long and taper to a blunt point.
They are fruit-fly resistant, do not suffer from many of the ailments that bother capsicums, including wilt and seem to cope better with changing climate conditions than other capsicum varieties.
Uses
Usage
These capsicums look like a chilli but have a thick wall and taste sweet, like a capsicum.
Add to salads and cooked recipes.
They are just large enough to stuff.
Production Requirements
Climate
Tropical to subtropical
Cultivation
Requires a very warm sunny position and a fertile well-drained soil.
Prefers a pH in the range 6-6.5. Plant 80-90cm apart in late Winter.
Although it is hardy, it will be more productive with consistent irrigation.
At the end of Summer give plants a prune, a feed of compost and mulch well.
Edible parts
Fruit, raw or cooked Leaves, cooked
Propagation
Propagation is by seed or cuttings. Chilli pollen is dominant over capsicum pollen. Capsicums are self-pollinating but to be sure, grow other varieties at a distance of at least 50m or use exclusion netting to keep pollinators away from the flowers.
Risks and weed potential
None known.
Harvesting & Processing
Harvest
Harvest green or red fruit when they are a mature size.
Harvesting induces fruiting, so harvest regularly.