Three Purple Peppers

‘Purple Flash’—the focus is on the foliage

Ornamental peppers are integral to fall sales, offering an alternative to flowering mums and pansies with their colorful fruits and foliage. In an assortment of shapes and sizes the peppers themselves bring an added dimension of texture to autumn decor. We find that picking a purple pepper puts a unique spin on displays for fall so here are three distinct takes on this compelling Capsicum color:

Marble-sized fruits change from glossy black to blazing red

‘Purple Flash’ for Halloween sounds like a superhero costume, but this is an ornamental that puts the focus on the foliage. Smoky purple-black leaves have dramatic splashes of bright purple, green, and white, like a blackout with the power going off and on intermittently. Branches naturally take the form of an exotic pyramid reaching up to 15 inches tall, and are decorated with shiny round fruits the size of marbles. These impish peppers ripen from glossy black to blazing red to remind us that they’re scorching hot—a feast for the eyes and for the hardy heat-lover’s palate. 

Charming little peppers are like glowing holiday lights

‘Hot Pops Purple’ places the spotlight back on the fruit. Each pocket-sized 6-inch plant is topped with little round peppers in both purple and orange, like a string of Halloween lights that are perpetually plugged in and glowing. They’re not LEDs either; these peppers are extremely hot—another variety for the culinary daredevil. Timid tongues will be satisfied, too, with the whimsical touch these fireballs add to seasonal displays for both indoor and outdoor settings. 

Dwarf ‘Salsa Purple’ is all fired up

‘Salsa Purple’ has the look we’re most apt to conjure up when someone mentions ornamental peppers. Fruits on this variety are an inch long and narrow, pointing at the sky like mini missiles about to launch on a strange and mysterious journey. Salsa is a dwarf series—plants only reach about 4 inches high with lush dark green foliage and a neat, compact habit. When using Salsa peppers in actual salsa, be prepared for the fallout—they are sweat-inducingly hot. 

‘Mambo Yellow’ is the opposite of mellow—it’s hot, hot, hot!

Now purple is opposite yellow on the color wheel which means the two colors intensify each other—remember ‘Raspberry Lemonade’ portulaca that we discussed last week? If you’re looking to brighten up any of these pouty purples, pair them with ‘Mambo Yellow’ pepper or to heighten the energy in general, mix in a multicolored variety like ‘Medusa’ or ‘Masquerade’. If you’re going for more of a cool vibe, use purple with shades of white, blue, or light green.

‘Purple Flash’ comes in the 4.5, 6, and 8-inch pot sizes. ‘Hot Pops Purple’ is available in the 8-inch pot; ‘Salsa Purple’ and ‘Mambo Yellow’ come in the 4.5-inch size. For our complete selection of ornamental peppers, please visit the Availability section of our web site.