Description and characteristics of the best varieties of purple pepper

Until recently, purple peppers were a curiosity for our compatriots. Now the situation has changed dramatically, and gardeners are actively experimenting with different varieties of peppers with unusual colors. These varieties are interesting not only for their color but also for their unique growing techniques.

There aren't as many exotic pepper varieties known today as we'd probably like. Let's look at the most interesting options and discuss the basic rules for growing the plant.

Description and characteristics of purple pepper

Depending on the variety, the bush can vary in branching, foliage, and habit. The same applies to the fruits: peppers can be small or large, thin-walled or fleshy, and come in a wide variety of shapes. The color of the peppers ranges from light lilac to a rich, dark purple.

The unusual, beautiful color of the fruit is due to the high anthocyanin content. The purple hue is present in absolutely all varieties, but it is unnoticeable due to the very low concentration. The high percentage of this substance not only gives the plant an exotic appearance but also increases its immunity to low temperatures, which is especially important for heat-loving peppers.

Vegetables enriched with anthocyanins are able to more quickly absorb solar energy and convert it into heat. This makes purple peppers much more resilient than red, white, green, or yellow varieties, meaning they can thrive even in northern regions.

Properties

Anthocyanins are not produced or accumulated in the human body; they must be consumed through food. The daily requirement for a healthy person is 200 mg, while for those with illness, it's about 300 mg. What are the benefits of anthocyanins for the human body?

•         strengthening the walls of blood vessels, including the retina;
•         These substances are capable of quickly destroying all pathogenic bacteria. For colds, the daily intake of anthocyanins is increased by 1, 5, or even 2 times;
•         decrease in intraocular pressure.

Regular consumption of vegetables rich in anthocyanins is a guarantee of good health and good vision. Growing unusual varieties of familiar crops is not only an interesting experiment but also a way to take care of your own health.

Purple peppers are versatile, perfect for summer salads and beautifully sliced. They can also be canned, stuffed, stewed, or added to soups and other dishes. It's worth noting that while cooking loses their purple hue, the flavor and vitamins remain intact.

Varieties of purple pepper

All purple pepper varieties differ not only in plant habit, fruit shape, and weight. They also have different ripening periods and yields. It's difficult to say definitively which variety is the most attractive, as every gardener has their own preferences and needs. We'll describe the most popular, time-tested options.

Maxim

A mid-early hybrid, the first peppers are harvested approximately 110 days after seed germination. The bush grows to a height of no more than 60 cm and is very neat. The fruits are thick-walled, drooping, cone-shaped, and pointed, weighing up to 130 grams, and cherry-purple in color. The flesh is dense, juicy, and incredibly tasty.

Each plant produces approximately nine peppers, which ripen evenly, yielding an average of 6, sometimes even 8, kilograms of fruit per square meter. The hybrid is resistant to heat and all common diseases. The plants can be planted both outdoors and indoors.

Othello

An early-ripening purple pepper hybrid. Excellent resistance to viruses, fungi, and adverse weather conditions. The bush is semi-spreading, compact, and no taller than 90 cm. It requires shaping (removal of side shoots).

The peppers are thick-walled, cone-shaped, and brownish-purple, weighing between 90 and 120 grams. The skin is smooth, and the flesh is tasty and very aromatic. The fruits ripen evenly, with a maximum yield of 7–8 kilograms per square meter.

Lilac fog

A mid-early hybrid (130 days before harvest). The bush grows no taller than 80 cm, is neat, and has medium foliage. Lilac Mist tolerates minor temperature fluctuations and is undemanding of growing conditions.

The fruits are thick-walled, pyramidal, truncated, and reddish-purple, with a maximum weight of about 160 grams per pepper. The flavor is excellent. With proper care, this hybrid will delight you with an incredibly high yield, namely approximately 2, 5, or even 3 kilograms per plant.

Amethyst

A mid-early variety. Excellent resistance to low temperatures and above-average resistance to diseases. Amethyst can be planted in heated and standard greenhouses, as well as outdoors. The plant is medium-sized, short, neat, and compact.

These sweet peppers have a pleasant, very delicate aroma. They are thick-walled, trunk-shaped, and reddish-purple, weighing between 100 and 230 grams. The fruits have excellent shelf life. When grown properly, yields are very high – up to 12 kilograms per square meter.

Ode

A super-productive, early-ripening variety, the first harvest is ready 120 days after the seeds have sprouted. The plant is neat, no taller than 60 cm, and highly resistant to various adverse factors. The peppers are thick-walled, juicy, and delicious, oval-conical, purple-brown, and weigh up to 250 grams.

Star of the East purple

This mid-early hybrid is undemanding and rarely encounters problems. The bush is medium-sized, producing cube-shaped, thick-walled (up to 1 cm) purple-red fruits weighing no more than 210 grams. The flavor is neutral, without bitterness or excessive sweetness. In favorable years, the yield per square meter is approximately 6.5 kilograms.

Arab

An early-ripening hybrid with excellent immunity to viruses, fungi, heat, and cold. The tall, standard, semi-spreading plant requires training and secure support. Arap pepper yields high levels, with average yields of approximately 6.5 kilograms per square meter in good years.

The peppers are beautiful, uniform, thick-walled, cone-shaped, and pointed, weighing between 100 and 200 grams. The fruit is a beautiful color—a rich red with a purple tint. The skin is glossy and firm. The flavor is excellent.

Altai chameleon

An attractive purple pepper variety that ripens very early. It can be planted anywhere, whether in a greenhouse or in the open ground. The bush is semi-spreading and medium-sized. Excellent resistance to various diseases, the Altai Chameleon is not afraid of cold or heat.

The peppers are thick-walled and cone-shaped; when fully ripe, they are a beautiful dark red with a slight purple tint. The fruits weigh approximately 100 grams. With proper care, the maximum yield of peppers harvested from one square meter can reach 8.5, or even 9 kilograms.

Blot

Another good variety that ripens during the average season for peppers. It has good resistance to cold, heat, drought, pests, and common pepper diseases. Klyaksa is grown without any shelter and in protected soil.

The bush is medium-height, semi-spreading, and compact. The fruits are thick-walled, juicy, and have a memorable flavor and aroma, making this variety a favorite. They are cone-shaped, reddish-purple in color, and weigh a maximum of 150 grams. In good years, up to 4 kilograms of beautiful, uniform peppers can be harvested per square meter.

Lilac Lavender

Translated from English, it means "lilac masterpiece." This is a highly productive, mid-early variety. The bushes are slightly taller than half a meter, massive, yet easy to care for. It is resistant to all negative factors, and can be grown outdoors and indoors. Seeds are extremely rare.

The fruits are juicy, beautiful, cone-shaped, thick-walled, sweet, and incredibly aromatic, with a slightly spicy flavor. The peppers are burgundy-red with a lilac tint, weighing 300–400 grams.

Purple Bell

The fruits of this purple-fruited variety ripen in a medium period (130 days). It is highly resistant to minor fluctuations in day and night temperatures, as well as to pepper diseases. The bush is medium-sized and spreading.

The fruits are tasty and aromatic, cuboid, thick-walled, reddish-purple, and weigh between 120 and 200 grams. The average yield per square meter is about 5–8 kilograms. To achieve good yields, the variety requires careful care.

Purple Beauty

A mid-early, high-yielding pepper variety, the first fruits are harvested 120 days after germination. It is resistant to diseases and weather changes. The bush is about 80 cm tall, standard, and robust. The fruits are cuboid, slightly compressed, thick-walled, reddish-purple, weighing 100 to 150 grams. The skin is glossy and dense, and the flesh is juicy and sweet.

Bagheera

A popular variety that ripens mid-season, it's prized for its excellent resistance to all possible adverse factors. Bagheera is grown in various greenhouses and outdoors. The plant is easy to care for, reaching a height of no more than 50 cm and maintaining a very neat appearance.

The cuboid, thick-walled peppers are drooping, chocolate-red with a purple tint, and weigh between 200 and 350 grams. The skin is tough, and the flesh, although firm, is very juicy and has a pleasant consistency. The flavor is sweet, and the aroma is bright and rich. About 2 kilograms of peppers are harvested from one square meter.

Rules for growing purple peppers

Generally speaking, growing purple peppers is no different from cultivating red, yellow, or green varieties. Everything is standard—preparing the seeds, sowing, and growing the seedlings.

But there's a crucial aspect that sets purple-fruited peppers apart from the rest: their resistance to low temperatures. Judging by gardeners' reviews, these heat-loving varieties with unusually colored fruits are indeed easy to grow in cool regions with unstable weather.

Planting in open ground occurs after the last frost, when temperatures are stable above 15 degrees Celsius. In greenhouses, purple peppers are planted at the time calculated during sowing, depending on the type of greenhouse. Plant care involves watering, fertilizing, and weeding. Tall peppers are trained and tied up.

Thanks to the painstaking work of breeders, gardeners in areas with unfavorable weather conditions for growing heat-loving crops can even plant peppers outdoors. All the varieties described are easy to grow, the fruits are healthy and versatile, and most importantly, they produce very good yields.

Reviews

Alena. The Bagheera variety deserves special mention; I've been growing it for several years now. It's delicious; we eat it fresh, freeze it, dry it, and preserve it for the winter. I recommend it to everyone; I've given seeds to my neighbors, and they also loved it. I live in a region where extreme temperature fluctuations are normal, so I plant peppers outdoors, and I have no problems, with excellent yields year after year.

Fedor. I'd like to praise the Klyaksa and Zvezda Vostoka varieties. They're easy to grow, produce a good harvest, and are resistant to various diseases. All the potential benefits, of course, are only noticeable with proper care. I recommend these purple peppers to everyone. The fact that the peppers lose their color during processing doesn't bother me at all; we enjoy canning them. I need to try other varieties.