Chili 'Poinsettia'

Capsicum annuum*

The decorative Poinsettia Chili is an edible ornamental chili which is very good for cultivation in pots or on the windowsill. The small, bushy plants develop numerous small, long chillies which grow upright in bundles and ripen to a bright red. As the fruits resemble Poinsettia flowers in their arrangement, the chili was given the name “Poinsettia”. The mild chillies have a full flavour and are suitable for fresh consumption e.g. in salads, and for cooking, pickling and drying. If you can overwinter the plants with enough light and warmth, then they will have an even higher yield in the second and third years.

Thrives in a warm, sunny, sheltered location in nutrient-rich, humus-rich, porous and warm soil. The soil is kept evenly moist and it is important to constantly loosen the soil. Does not tolerate stagnant water.

Scoville scale: 500-1500

Pre-cultivation: Feb - April. Pre-cultivated indoors in seed soil. Moisten the soil before sowing and only lightly press the seeds down on the surface. Cover the seed with clear plastic with air holes and place in 20-28 degrees, light and slightly cooler after germination. Use additional lighting for early sowing. When plants are large enough to handle, plant 1 plant per pot in fertilized soil. If necessary, top the plant at a height of 15 cm. Plant out after hardening when the risk of frost is over.

Harvest: July - Oct

Height: 50cm

Spacing: 50cm / 1 plant per GreenStalk pocket

Sowing depth: 0.5 cm

Germination time: 7-20 days

Maturation time: 80-90 days

Location: Sunny and sheltered. Greenhouse preferred.

Annual

Number of seeds: 10 pcs

*There are many different types of chili, but the most common are Capsicum annuum, Capsicum baccatum and Capsicum chinense. Of these varieties, chinense has a long development time and should therefore be grown early, preferably already in December. The baccatum variety can be sown until January-February and annuum varieties can be planted throughout the period January-April.