Chilli 'Zimbabwe Black' – Ornamental Chilli Pepper (Set of 3 or 6)

Chilli 'Zimbabwe Black' is a compact, bushy plant grown for a heavy crop of hot fruit through summer and early autumn.

Zimbabwe Black is as ornamental as it is useful, an African heirloom with dark purple black foliage and glossy black fruit that ripens through to vivid red. The heat is medium, which suits hot sauces, stir fries and salsas. Plants make a compact bush around 40 to 70cm tall and 30 to 50cm across and crop from summer into early autumn.

Each plant is supplied as a strong, well rooted 10.5cm plant, grown in peat-free compost in Yorkshire, so it settles quickly into a pot, a greenhouse border or a sunny bed. Give it the warmest, sunniest spot you have, water regularly and feed with a high potassium feed once the first fruit sets. Chillies are not hardy and are killed by the first frost, so keep plants under cover until the nights are warm and bring them in again before the weather turns. A sunny windowsill or a conservatory suits them as well as a sheltered patio.

Chilli fruit and foliage can irritate the skin and eyes, and can cause irritation if eaten, so wash your hands after picking and keep plants out of reach of children and pets.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Chilli pepper
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Typically 40 to 70cm tall by 30 to 50cm across
• Growth Habit: Compact to upright, bushy annual
• Perfect For: Patio pots, containers, greenhouses, conservatories and a sunny windowsill
• Foliage: Dark purple black leaves
• Flowering Time: Late spring to summer, small white flowers
• Planting Position: Full sun in a warm, sheltered spot. Grows well in a pot or container
• Soil Type: Fertile, moisture retentive and well drained
• Hardiness: Not hardy. Killed by the first frost, so plant out only once the frosts have passed
• Maintenance: Low to moderate. Water regularly, feed with a high potassium feed once the first fruit sets and pick often to keep the crop coming
• Seasonal Interest: Spring, summer and autumn
• Type: Tender annual, grown as an annual in Britain