The tree chili (bot. Capsicum pubescens), which comes from Central America, is certainly related to the normal chilies, but is rather widespread. It can grow up to four meters high, has very tasty, thick-fleshed fruits and a woody trunk.
Location and soil
Tree chilies are not exactly undemanding plants. They generally prefer a semi-shady place, but often lose their flowers there. Tree chillies cannot tolerate wind at all, but it would ensure good pollination. It's best to give your tree chili a partially shaded place protected from the wind, which you can also shade during the flowering period.
Planting tree chilis
Dig a planting hole that is slightly larger than the root ball of your chili and fill it about a third with a mixture of garden soil, sand, compost, horn shavings and lime. Place your chili plant inside and fill the hole with substrate. Then pour the chili well.
Alternatively, you can also plant the chili tree in a pot. This should be sufficiently large (at least 10 liters) and stable enough for a large shrub. Be sure to create a drainage layer (large pebbles or shards of clay) and use loose and permeable substrate with a pH value of around 6.5.
Watering and fertilizing
Tree chillies need a lot of water, especially during the flowering period. The soil/substrate should then always be evenly moist. When the first flowers appear, you can start fertilizing. Either fertilize every two weeks or use a slow-release fertilizer (€9.00 on Amazon).
Tree chilis in winter
Tree chillies are not hardy, they need a warm and bright winter quarters. Before overwintering the plant, check for pests. In spring, cut back the tree chili before putting the plant outside again.
The most important things in brief:
- ideal location: sheltered from the wind and partially shaded, shady during flowering
- Soil: loose and nutrient-rich, pH value at 6.5
- perennial
- bushy growth
- can grow up to 4 m tall, usually around 1.60 m high
- good for container planting
- hairy leaves
- violet flower
- particularly thick-fleshed fruits
Tip
Tree chilies bloom beautifully purple and are well suited for container planting.
