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malagueta pepper

Capsicum frutescens L.

Family: Solanaceae · Genus: Capsicum

Placenta II Low No biomass production
Dhruvaraj S · CC BY · iNaturalist

Very pungent Brazilian pepper (60,000–100,000 SHU), small upright red fruits. Perennial in tropical zones (3–5 years). Tolerates light shade. Widely planted in Northern and Northeastern home gardens and syntropic systems. Foundation of traditional Brazilian hot sauce.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Capsicum minimum Roxb., Capsicum fastigiatum Blume

Götsch succession

Götsch stage
Placenta II
Ecological role
Pioneer
Primary stratum
Low
Strata
Low
Biomass class
No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement
Full sun
Water requirement
Moderate
Drought tolerance
Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance
Low
Soil pH range
5.5–7
Preferred soil texture
Loamy, Sandy
Hardiness zones
10–13
Frost tolerance
1.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height
0.8–1.5 m
Recommended spacing
0.5–0.8 m
Root system
Taproot
Root depth
Medium
Growth rate
Fast
Lifespan
3–5 years
Time to first harvest
4 months
Productive lifespan
3 years

Biomes & climate

Köppen classes

Where it fits in a guild

Malagueta pepper takes the Low stratum in the Placenta II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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Emergent High Medium Low · ≈2 m Ground cover

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Fruiting months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of malagueta pepper?

The first harvest of malagueta pepper comes around 4 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for malagueta pepper?

The recommended spacing for malagueta pepper is 0.5–0.8 m.

How tall does malagueta pepper grow?

At maturity, malagueta pepper reaches 0.8–1.5 m tall.

When does malagueta pepper fruit?

Fruiting of malagueta pepper occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

When does malagueta pepper flower?

Flowering of malagueta pepper occurs in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.

What stage and stratum does malagueta pepper occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, malagueta pepper belongs to the placenta ii stage, occupying the low stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit Aromatic Pest repellent

Propagation

Seed, Cutting

Citations

  1. PFAF Plant Database — Capsicum frutescens (height_min_m, height_max_m, ph_min, ph_max, light_need, frost_tolerance_c, hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, soil_texture_preference)
  2. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Capsicum frutescens (lifespan_years_min, lifespan_years_max, description)
  3. GBIF — Capsicum frutescens L. (accepted, key 8403992) (external_ids)

External references

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