Days to Maturity: 180 to 200 from transplant

Though this pepper is entirely edible, its well-branched little bushy plant is so attractive and heavy-yielding that many folks grow it as an ornamental and let the birds have the tiny, incredibly hot peppers (they don’t taste the heat, and absolutely love these little round fruits). But if you’re ambitious, consider putting just a silver or a pinch, if dried, into a dish one night. You will definitely know it’s there.

Tepin sets – to -inch diameter peppers that gradually mature from green to red. If you want to harvest them all, go ahead and pick them green, or the birds may beat you to the lion’s share. Many experts believe that this is the original Native American wild chile from which all others descend, and given the vigor of this plant, it certainly seems likely. The species is known by many common names, including bird pepper, pequin or piquin, and (our favorite) chile mosquito.<