Common Name: Tree Pepper

General Information

Capsicum pubescens is a much-branched, erect, evergreen perennial plant with a more or less woody stem; it can grow up to 3 metres tall.
The plant is harvested mainly for local use as a food and medicine. It has long been cultivated for its edible fruits within its native range, and is now also sometimes cultivated at higher elevations in Central America and Indonesia[].

Known Hazards

Although providing many well-known foods for people, including the potato, tomato, pepper and aubergine, most plants in the family Solanaceae also contain poisonous alkaloids. Apart from the specific entries mentioned below containing information on the edible uses for this species, it would be unwise to ingest any other part of this plant[].
The sap of the plant can cause the skin to blister[].

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Andes of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia

Habitat

Not known in a wild location[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

A plant of higher elevations in the tropics, it is cultivated from 1,500 - 2,900 metres in the Andes[]. It does not usually succeed at low elevations in the tropics because of low fruit-set, but can be grown at lower elevations in the subtropics and in warm temperate zones[, ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 15 - 24°c, but can tolerate 7 - 32°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 600 - 1,250mm, but tolerates 500 - 1,500mm[].
Requires a very warm sunny position and a fertile well-drained soil. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 6.5, tolerating 5.5 - 7.3[].
The plant can be cultivated as an annual[].
Plants are able to continue fruiting for 15 years in cool but essentially frost-free, moist climates[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. The distinctive thick-fleshed pungent fruits are used as a vegetable condiment or made into a sauce[]. A hot pungent flavour, it is mainly used as a flavouring in cooked foods[]. In Peru the seeds are removed, the fruit stuffed with a savoury filling and then baked[]. The fruit can be dried and ground into a powder for use as a pepper-like condiment[].

Medicinal

The hot and pungent fruit is antihaemorrhoidal when taken in small amounts, antirheumatic, antiseptic, diaphoretic, digestive, irritant, rubefacient, sialagogue and tonic[, ]. It is taken internally in the treatment of the cold stage of fevers, debility in convalescence or old age, varicose veins, asthma and digestive problems[]. Externally it is used in the treatment of sprains, unbroken chilblains, neuralgia, pleurisy etc[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The growing plant repels insects[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter to early spring in a warm greenhouse[]. The seed usually germinates in 3 - 4 weeks at 20°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots of reasonably rich soil and grow them on fast. If trying them outdoors, then plant them out after the last expected frosts and give them the protection of a cloche or frame at least until they are established and growing away well.