Florida Bird Pepper
- Florida Bird Pepper is an evergreen shrub native to the coastal hammocks of South and Central Florida.
- Small, compact plants have dark green foliage and produce copious amounts of tiny, colorful fruit that ripen from green to orange to red.
- The only true pepper native to Florida and thought to be the wild progenitor to the common culinary pepper Capsicum annuum, which includes sweet bell peppers, cayenne peppers, and jalapeños.
- Though native to Florida, they also do well in cool climates but will not survive a hard freeze.
- Birds (mockingbirds, in particular) love its ripened fruits, while bees and other native pollinators are attracted to its year-round blossoms.
- Fruit is edible to humans but is extremely hot with a Scoville rating between 50,000 and 100,000 (that's hotter than a habanero!), and there was a time in South Florida when every home had a bottle of bird peppers in vinegar on the kitchen table so a small dash could be added to greens or other southern dishes.
- Drought tolerant and generally pest free. Require very little maintenance after they are established, but be sure their root system is well developed in their pots prior to transplanting.
- Planting Instructions: Stratification is recommended, though not necessary, for germination, and can be achieved by lightly scoring the surface of the seeds with course sandpaper. Germination rates will be about 50-60% without stratification.
- In early spring, start seeds indoors in seed trays or individual pots 8 weeks prior to warm nightly temperatures. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in sterile media. Provide 85°F bottom heat, bright light, and keep soil moist at all times. Seeds will germinate within 21 days (be patient, these require a little longer to germinate than modern cultivars!). Transplant seedlings into larger pots and grow until 6 true leaves develop. Plant them directly into rich soil, about 36 inches apart.
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