Questions about the hot (spicy) members of the pepper family, whether fresh, dried, or ground. These are the fruits of plants belonging to the genus Capsicum. Alternate spellings include chilli, chiles, chilies.
The Chili Pepper is the general name for a group of pepper varieties in the family Capsicum commonly used to add spice to foods. They are members of the nightshade family and are native to the New World. Through trade, they have become integral parts of cultural foods around the world, particularly in parts of Asia.
These peppers are often rated by spiciness on a subjective scale known as the Scoville heat unit, or simply Scoville Scale.
Commonly used members of this family include:
- Anaheim
- Cayenne
- Habanero
- Jalapeño
- Pequin
- Poblano
- Serrano
- Tabasco
As a note, while the name "chili pepper" can include non-spicy varieties, we have opted to use this tag to relate only to spicy peppers. Please see this Meta topic for more information.
