Characteristics
A spreading shrubby plant. It grows 3 m high and spreads 1.5-2 m wide. The leaves are sword shaped and 1.5-3 cm long by 2-2.5 cm wide. The flowers are white or yellow and 1 cm across and in the axils of leaves. The fruit are small. The fruit is 8-10 mm long by 5 mm across. They are green or red. There are several named cultivated varieties.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
|
| Growth support |
free-standing
|
| Foliage retention |
deciduous
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
1.0
|
| Mature height (meter) |
2.0
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
0.4
|
| Flower color |
-
|
| Blooming months |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | | Apr | May | Jun | | Jul | Aug | Sep | | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
A tropical plant. It grows from sea level up to 1600 m altitude in Argentina. It needs a temperature above 4-13°C depending on cultivar.
| Light |
|
| Soil humidity |
|
| Soil texture |
|
| Soil acidity |
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
The fruits are dried and become yellow. They are hot and spicy. They are used for seasoning.
| Uses |
environmental use
food
gene source
medicinal
seasoning
|
| Edible
|
fruits
leaves
|
| Therapeutic use
|
Aphrodisiac (unspecified), Cancer (unspecified), Carminative (unspecified), CNS stimulant (unspecified), Digestive (unspecified), Piles (unspecified), Rubefacient (unspecified), Spice (unspecified), Stimulant (unspecified), Styptic (unspecified), Stomachic (unspecified)
|
| Human toxicity |
-
|
| Animal toxicity |
-
|
Cultivation
Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
| Mode |
seedlings
|
| Germination duration (days) |
14 - 22
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
22 - 23
|
| Germination luminosity |
light
|
| Germination treatment |
soaking
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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