Chilly Chili Ornamental Pepper

Chilly Chili is a compact ornamental pepper with upright fruit that changes from yellow through orange to bright red. It is grown mainly for its colorful display in containers, borders, and mixed plantings. ## Fruit and size The [North Carolina State vegetable cultivar listing](https://cucurbitbreeding.wordpress.ncsu.edu/2016/06/03/pepper-a-l/) records Chilly Chili as a non-pungent ornamental pepper bred by Marvin Edwards and marketed by PanAmerican Seeds; it describes fruit ripening yellow to orange to red and plants about 12 inches tall by 6–10 inches wide. The [Lucas Greenhouses profile](https://www.lucasgreenhouses.com/plant/Ornamental-Pepper-Chilly-Chili) identifies the plant as Capsicum annuum 'Chilly Chili' and lists a 9–10 inch height and 13–14 inch spread. [T&T Seeds](https://ttseeds.com/products/ornpepperchillychili) gives a broader mature range of 12–18 inches high and 12–16 inches spread, showing reported finished sizes vary by source and growing context. ## Siting Use a sunny position in a container, border, or bed. The upright fruit and compact habit make the plant easy to place where seasonal color can be seen. For peppers generally, [Utah State University Extension](https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/peppers-in-the-garden) recommends fertile, well-drained soil and deep, infrequent irrigation, and notes that peppers do poorly in heavy, wet soils. ## Maintenance Grow after frost danger has passed and water during active growth while keeping soil well drained. Remove the annual plant after frost ends its season.