Image - Wikimedia / David J. Stang
Do you like chili peppers? The truth is that they are very easy to grow plants, so much so that they can be kept in pots without problems since they adapt very well. Most varieties are planted solely for their fruits, but The Black Pearl is so beautiful that it deserves to have a space in the garden or on the balcony.
It does not grow much, although if you think it is necessary you can prune it if you think it is necessary. Next we will tell you everything about this beautiful plant.
Origin and characteristics of the Perla Negra chili
Image - Flickr / Allen Sheffield
It is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum, characterized by having black leaves and fruits. It's so pretty, that All-Americas Selections gave it an award for its beauty in 2006. It was developed by scientists Rob Griesbach and John Stommer of the Plant Laboratory of the Agricultural Research Service of the Arboretum Floral and Plant Research Unit. Nursery.
It can reach a maximum height of 60-80 centimeters, with more or less branched stems from which whole and simple leaves sprout, sharp and with the main nerves quite marked. It produces purple flowers in spring-summer. The fruits, that is, their chili peppers, have a rounded shape, and can turn crimson when they finish ripening.
It is eatable?
Yes of course. Do not be fooled: apart from being a beautiful plant, its fruits can be consumed in the same way as you would eat any chili. But yes, you must bear in mind that its flavor is spicy: As soon as you take the bite you could perceive an acid taste although to a certain extent pleasant, but little by little it intensifies.
And it is that it has its 10 to 30 Scoville heat units. The Scoville scale It is the one that measures how acidic the peppers are. For example, the banana pepper has a mild flavor, since it has only between 100 and 500 Scoville units, but by contrast Dragon's Breath has between 1.900.500 and 2.480.000, which means that whoever dares to take a bite can feel like fire has got into your mouth.
The Black Pearl stays in the low-medium positions, so it is relatively harmless. (But if you have a sensitive palate, we do not recommend consuming it, much less doing the madness of eating a whole fruit at one time).
How do you take care of yourself?
If you want to have a copy of Perla Negra, we recommend you take care of it as follows:
Location
It is a plant that can be both in full sun and in semi-shadeso it will grow just as well in exposed locations, such as under the branches of larger trees 😉.
Earth
- Flower pot: use a substrate rich in organic matter, light and that facilitates rapid water drainage, such as this one they sell here.
- Garden: it must be fertile, loose and, also, must have good drainage.
Irrigation
Irrigation must be frequent in summer, and moderate the rest of the year. The frequency will be determined by weather conditions, especially: in places where it rains little and / or there are very high temperatures, it will be necessary to water more often than in those where it rains frequently and / or the temperatures are mild.
Generally, watering the Black Pearl 3-4 times a week in the summer season and 2-3 times a week the rest may be sufficient.
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Highly recommended to pay throughout the season with fertilizers like guano (on sale here), which is organic and very fast effective. Use liquid fertilizers if you have it in a pot so that the excess irrigation water can come out without difficulty.
Multiplication
It multiplies by seeds in spring, following this step by step:
- First, fill a seedbed (we recommend using seedling trays or pots with drainage holes, but milk and yogurt containers would also work as long as some holes were made in the base) with fertile substrate, such as that of an urban garden ( on sale here).
- Then water conscientiously.
- Now, put a maximum of 2-3 seeds in each socket or pot. You can take the opportunity to put a little powdered sulfur on them, in order to prevent fungal infections.
- Then cover them with a thin layer of substrate.
- Finally, water a little again and place the seedbed outside, in semi-shade or in full sun.
This way they will germinate soon, in about 4-7 days.
Planting or transplanting time
En spring, when the frosts have passed.
Rusticity
The Perla Negra chili, and peppers in general, they are plants very sensitive to cold so they are grown as annuals.
Where to buy?
It is not easy to find, of course. Surely in nurseries specialized in horticultural plants they know it, but if you really want to buy it, you can click here to get seeds at good price:
What did you think of this plant? Have you heard of her? If you dare to buy seeds, we hope you enjoy growing them a lot 🙂.