FNPS Plant Database
Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum
bird pepper
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Nomenclature
Common Name:
bird pepper
Synonym(s):
Genus species:
Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum
Family:
Solanaceae
Plant Specifics
Form:
shrub
Size:
dwarf shrub, use like a wildflower. 3 ft tall by 2.5 ft wide
Life Span:
short-lived perennial
Flower Color:
white
Fruit Color:
orange, red
Phenology:
evergreen; flowers and fruits year-round
Noted For:
Landscaping
Recommended Uses:
Edible, very hot fruits
Considerations:
Availability:
Propagation:
Seed or cuttings. Seeds need to be scarified to sprout.
Light:
Moisture Tolerance:
Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry
Not wet but not extremely dry ---to--- Somewhat long very dry periods
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:
Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water
Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:
Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray
Soil or Other Substrate:
Clay, Sand
Soil pH:
adaptable
Suitable to Grow In:
8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 11
USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Ecology
Wildlife:
Birds (especially mockingbirds) eat the green, un-ripened peppers.
Attracts bees.
Native Habitats:
Coastal hammocks
Natural Range in Florida:
Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants
Comments:
Ethnobotany:
Edible fruits. Extremely hot!
General Comments:
Citations:
Jordan, Deane. Eat the Weeds and Other Things Too. https://www.eattheweeds.com/tag/piper-nigrum/ , accessed 2025.
Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.
