Ornamental peppers produce brilliantly colored fruit and look fantastic in garden spaces. While they are grown to be ornamental, they can also be eaten. In this comprehensive growing guide, Sarah Jay explains how to care for them. Ornamental peppers provide more than just eye candy. They’re also packed full of spice. While they aren’t the most pleasant or flavorful peppers, they provide a punch in any dish. So consider growing ornamental pepper plants this spring! Once you plant ornamental peppers, you can practically ignore them and they will thrive. Growing ornamental peppers, therefore, is an easy and rewarding experience. While you focus on the higher maintenance plants in your vegetable garden, your ornamental peppers pop with color. Whether it’s hot pepper flakes you’d like to include in a dish, or simply a splash of color with some heat, the colorful fruit of an ornamental pepper plant provides. If eating the fruit of the pepper plants isn’t your style, know they’re great in pest deterrent sprays and landscapes. So, let’s discuss growing ornamental peppers, and cover a few different types you can seek out for your spring planting. What are Ornamental Peppers? The ornamental pepper plant (Capsicum annuum) has many different varieties and, thus, multiple common names. Ornamental pepper plants are tender perennials often grown as annuals. Native Area Most ornamental peppers originate in southern North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. Ornamental peppers made their way to Europe in the 15th century and were prized as showy, colorful garden plants. Today, they’re known as Christmas plants due to their bright fruit that makes them an excellent addition to floral arrangements and as a bedding plant in ornate landscapes. They’re also great container plants. Whether you want to eat them or not, they’re sure to be a hit. Characteristics The ornamental pepper is a dense, round shrub with alternate, ovate dark purple to deep green leaves. It’s a bushier plant with green branches that reach anywhere from six inches to three feet tall and spread eight to twenty-four inches wide. The compact plants bloom inconspicuous off-white flowers – sometimes with a purple tint – that require pollination either by hand or from bumblebees. The flowers bloom in the late spring, and with successful pollination, peppers form within four months. They resemble Christmas lights in an upright position. Pepper colors range from bright red, yellow, orange, green, or deep purple. The root ball of ornamental pepper is small and shallow. As the weather cools in early fall, ornamental peppers stop producing, and they die back in frost. Those not exposed to frost will survive throughout the year. Most people grow ornamental peppers for non-culinary reasons, but they work very well in bean dishes, salsas, and hot sauces. Anywhere you need an extra kick, these peppers deliver. Some people are unpleasantly surprised when they take a pepper off the ornamental plants and take a bite. That’s because there’s more punch than flavor involved when you eat ornamental peppers. Varieties ‘Chilly Chili’ peppers ‘Chilly Chili’ peppers grow on a dense plant with green leaves that reach one foot tall and spread six to ten inches wide. The plant produces upright, slender red, orange, and yellow fruit that, at their hottest, have the same amount of spice as a poblano. This chili plant grows well in prepared ground or containers. ‘Prairie Fire’ peppers ‘Prairie Fire’ pepper plants are great for hanging baskets, containers, or the ground due to their low-lying nature. They’ll fit into almost any landscape at a height of eight inches and a spread of one foot. The densely arranged dark green leaves are punctuated by stout red, yellow, orange, purple, and cream-colored peppers. If you want to use them in the kitchen, know they are just as spicy as Thai peppers and ten times the heat of jalapenos. ‘Bolivian Rainbow’ peppers ‘Bolivian Rainbow’ peppers are just as lovely as the name suggests. They’re taller than the previous ornamental peppers we’ve mentioned, which are two feet tall. The slender leaves are accented by Christmas light-shaped peppers that are purple, bright red, orange, and yellow. These have a cayenne-level heat. ‘Black Pearl’ peppers ‘Black Pearl’ peppers grow on a plant with dark green leaves that is 18 inches wide and tall. The fruit is the origin of the common name for this pepper plant, as it turns from a bright red to a deep, almost black purple. Black pearl peppers also pack cayenne-level heat and add a touch of spicy darkness to a garden or a dish. ‘Medusa’ peppers ‘Medusa’ ornamental peppers are very small and make excellent bedding plants or container plantings. They reach a mere six to eight inches tall, and have peppers that are ivory white when they first form, then deepen to a yellow, orange, and finally bright red. These peppers are great for children’s gardens because they don’t pack nearly the same punch as the others we’ve mentioned. ‘Numex Easter’ peppers ‘Numex Easter’ peppers are lovely and produce fruits that cluster together in fours. Pepper colors range from white to pale yellow, light purple, orange, and red. The leaves are dark green and sit atop stems that reach eight inches high and spread ten inches wide. They’re lovely in hanging baskets and container plantings and pack a pretty hefty heat. ‘Sangria’ peppers ‘Sangria’ peppers are lovely vibrant specimens that grow red peppers that turn reddish-purple late in the season. The ‘Sangria’ plant type grows peppers bred for their intensely colored fruit, and their hues pop out among the deep green foliage. The height and spread of these plants are 16 and 18 inches, respectively. ‘Sangria’ plants have hot peppers that are about the same heat as cayenne. And Sangria is great indoors, outdoors, in the ground, or in containers. Planting To grow ornamental peppers, plant seeds in well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. They prefer warmer temperatures and a sunny location. Regular watering is crucial, but avoid overwatering to prevent root rot. Once established, the plants are relatively drought-tolerant. How to Grow Once you’ve chosen your preferred plant, it’s time to focus on growing ornamental peppers. Here are the basic tenets of working with these lovely plants. Maintenance The only reason to prune ornamental peppers is to attain the desired shape and remove diseased or damaged leaves. You can never trim flowering stems, but feel free to trim stems after they grow to six to eight inches to promote a bushier appearance. The increase in leaves will also assist in producing healthier fruit. If you plan to overwinter the plant, cut it a few inches above the ground in late fall. Then cover it with mulch to retain moisture in dormancy.

Edible berries, lush leaves, and arching stems make evergreen huckleberries one of the most decorative native shrubs available on the West Coast. They’re favorites of local birds, mammals, bugs, and gardeners! Grow one today and your neighbors will ask, “What’s that gorgeous plant in your yard?” Close relatives of blueberries, lingonberries, and cranberries, huckleberries are forest-dwelling shrubs that produce bushels of edible fruit. They love shady sites underneath tree canopies. You’ll notice them thriving in western forests beneath Douglas fir trees, coast redwoods, hemlocks, pines, and firs. Unlike blueberry plants, this native shrub has specific requirements that limit its range. Extreme frost, low humidity, and sunny exposures may cause issues for the growing shrub. Grant it what it needs so it rewards you with healthy evergreen growth throughout the warm seasons. Whether you’re planting an edible garden or one for pollinators, huckleberries work well in many landscape styles. Use them in borders, mass plantings, or tree wells beneath large specimens. I planted mine next to lingonberry, blueberry, and raspberry shrubs; they all happily grow together! What Is It? Evergreen huckleberry is a member of the Vaccinium genus alongside other fruiting shrubs. There are deciduous huckleberries also native to the U.S., though they thrive in colder regions throughout the country. The evergreen type originates where temperatures are mild year-round with few winter frosts. Native Area Growing wild from California through northern British Columbia, the shrub has a wide range of habitats it prefers. You’ll see it happily growing in mixed coniferous forests in Oregon, redwood forests in California, and at high elevations where temperatures are cool and moisture is abundant. A good way to find this shrub in the wild is to look for other plants that grow alongside it. Native species like salal, Pacific rhododendron, and Western sword fern are abundant in the same environments as this huckleberry. They all prefer cool, moist winters, dry summers, and partial shade or full sun. Characteristics This shrub differs in appearance depending on the environmental conditions. Sites with full sun and dry summers will lead to short, squat, and bushy specimens. Shadier sites beneath trees and at woodland’s edges form a more graceful stature; they grow arching stems that reach up and over. All plants display reddish new growth in late winter and early spring. The triangular leaves turn bright green over time, creating a lovely contrast with red-green shifting foliage. Flowers appear shortly after new growth resumes. They’re white and urn-shaped like the blossoms from related plants in the Ericaceae family like blueberries, lingonberries, and manzanitas. In shady sites, an evergreen huckleberry may reach up to eight feet tall! It’ll stay short and squat in sunny, dry sites, remaining under five feet tall. The sunlight influences its overall appearance. Planting This blueberry relative thrives in a wide range of environments, from dry California forests to wet ones in the Pacific Northwest. Unlike most native shrubs, growing this one from seeds is an easy task! The seeds don’t require cold stratification, and they readily germinate shortly after the berries fall off the plant.

Knowing how to propagate basil means always having a fresh supply for your kitchen all year long, no matter where you live. Basil is one of the easiest plants to propagate. Dozens of varieties of this highly aromatic and versatile culinary herb (Ocimum basilicum) exist, so it's not difficult to keep your favorite going even during the off-season. Now that you know how to grow this delicious plant, here's how to propagate basil. Ways to Propagate Basil There are three ways to propagate basil: from cuttings placed in water, soil, or grown from seed. Basil is a warm-season herb most often started from seed in early spring or planted directly into the garden once the soil has warmed to between 50°F and 70°F, but it can also be grown indoors. It grows from seed outdoors when the stems have gone to flower. But to keep a basil plant going throughout the cool season, you'll need to propagate with cuttings from your mature, summer-grown basil. Tip Propagating basil from seeds is common but not always the favored method. Basil seeds are problematic because they may not have high germination rates, grow slowly, and produce plants with inconsistent flavor. Propagation from cuttings is a much more reliable method.1 How to Propagate Basil in Water The best method to propagate basil from cuttings is in water. If you've ever kept freshly cut basil stems in water for use in cooking, as needed, you may have noticed that after a week or so, the stems begin to put out new roots. Essentially, this is propagating the basil cuttings in water. Propagating basil in water is easy and requires little more than refreshing and topping up the water regularly. To grow new basil plants this way, you need a sharp, sterile snipper, clean water, and a clear glass, vase, or container. Take several 4-inch cuttings from a mature basil plant, avoiding any stems with flowers at the top. Make your cuts below a set of leaves or leaf nodes. Remove all but the top two sets of leaves from the cutting. Fill a clear glass with water. Water that has not been chemically treated (i.e., distilled water or rainwater) works best. Submerge the stems, keeping the top leaves above water level. Place the glass on or close to a sunny windowsill where it receives plenty of bright, indirect light and warm temperatures. Change the water weekly or more often if it begins to get cloudy. You should see roots begin to form in 12 to 18 days. Tip Basil rooted in water will continue to grow out for extended periods of time. Eventually, though, the herbs need additional nutrients. Adding specialized fertilizers to the water is a practice called hydroponics. Alternatively, you can pot the rooted basil into a soil-based medium, and it can get nutrients that way. How to Propagate Basil in Soil Propagating basil cuttings in soil is similar to propagating in water. Both methods are simple and usually successful. Gather together a sharp, sterile snipper, deep pots with drainage holes, potting soil, and plastic covering. Growth or rooting hormone is optional. Fill a pot or pots with slightly moistened planting medium. High-quality potting soil works well. You can start several cuttings in a large 6-inch pot or plant individual cuttings in smaller 4-inch pots. Using the snipper, take 4-inch cuttings from a mature basil plant, avoiding any stems that have flowers on them. Make your cuts below a set of leaves or leaf nodes. Remove all but the top two sets of leaves. Dip the bottoms of the cuttings in growth hormone. This step is optional since most cuttings root easily without it. Use your index finger to poke narrow, deep holes in the potting soil. Insert a cutting into each hole, making sure to keep the top leaves well above the soil surface. Tamp soil down around each cutting to keep it upright. Water thoroughly. Cover the pot loosely with plastic and use a small stake or pencil to keep the plastic from touching the cutting. Place pot(s) in a location that receives plenty of bright, indirect light and warm temperatures. Keep soil moist but not soggy. Remove plastic for an hour or so daily to allow air circulation and prevent mold. As soon as new leaves emerge, remove the plastic and check to see if the cutting has rooted. If a gentle tug results in a little resistance, your basil cutting has roots. This usually occurs in two to four weeks.