ornamental peppers (capsicum annum)

The pepper plant originated in tropical America and is known botanically as capsicum annum. It is also sometimes known as a Christmas pepper, as large quantities are sold in December as a holiday plant because of its traditional coloring.

The cone-shaped minature peppers change color as they ripen, and yellow, red and purple fruits are sometimes found on one plant. The fruits are usually edible, but the labelling for the plant should be checked first, and they are very hot! These are relatively simple plants to grow either indoors or outdoors, depending on where you live. The main ingredients for success with this plant are light and evenly moist soil at all times. Once the fruits form they remain attractive for 2-3 months.

Capsicum Annum Facts

Bloom time: September through December.
Exposure: Brightly lit spot with morning or afternoon sun.
Soil: Well drained potting soil.
Average Size: Less than 12 inches for ornamental plants.
Temperature: Cool or average warmth, not less than 55 degrees F.
Water: Keep compost moist at all times. Water occasionally by the immersiion method.
Air humidity: Mist the leaves frequently. Hot dry air will cause the fruit to fall.
Pruning: Pick peppers when they reach full size. Plants are usually discared after flowering.

These plants make an inexpensive addition to any yard or patio, and look great indoors to brighten a gloomy day!

home decorations for fall

Decorating your home for fall does not have to be a big event or very expensive. As the Crate & Barrel catalog comes in the mail and you are tempted to buy all the new furniture, remember the orange and brown of fall is going to be replaced by the reds and greens for Christmas at the end of October. Fall home decorations can be as simple as a bag of potpourri in a fragrance like cider apple, pumpkin pie, or plums and berries.
Potpourri can be bought from flower stores, supermarkets and department stores. Try to choose some with fall colors and interesting shapes and place it in hallways to greet guests as soon as they walk through your front door. You'll be surprised at the warming effect this has.

fall flowers and when to water

Fall is officially here, and although the weather in southern California doesn't appear to have changed significantly, there is now a slight dampness in the mornings and the evenings are definitely cooler. Watering container plants in the summer is fairly simple, but now the days are not quite as hot it gets a bit more tricky, especially if you don't have a lot of time to examine each plant.

Many plants available now such as the ornamental peppers shown here need to be kept evenly moist otherwise the leaves and the fruit quickly fall. However, slugs and other pests love that damp atmosphere, so check regularly around the base of the plant, especially if the plant begins to wilt. Sometimes they appear to need more water, when they are actually being eaten alive! If this happens, move the plant to a drier part of the garden and remove any dead leaves. Usually, once the pests are removed, the plant will come back.

The problem is, plants often droop and turn yellow if they are overwatered, and look similar to plants that have been underwatered. One of the simplest ways to test if a plant needs watering is to buy a moisture tester. These inexpensive devices can be bought in gardening and most hardware stores and help cut the guesswork out of watering. They also come with a list of the most common plants and indicate whether the plant likes to be dry or needs more water.


These simple devices have a scale from dry to wet and are a crude way of testing the moisture in the soil. The surprising thing is that you soon learn how different the rate of water absorption is among different plants, so instead of watering all your plants with the same amount of water each day or every couple of days, it is often wise to water some and leave others. If you are still doubtful, most plants can usually survive a couple of days dry, but too much water often damages or kills the plant.