Habanero
A habanero chile
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae Genus: Capsicum Species: C. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Magnoliopsida is the Botanical name for a class of Flowering plants By definition the class will include the family Magnoliaceae, but its Asteridae is a Botanical name at the rank of subclass. Circumscription of the subclass has varied with the taxonomic system being The Solanales are an order of Flowering plants included in the asterid group of Dicotyledons Some older sources used the name Polemoniales The Solanaceae is a family of Flowering plants that contains a number of important agricultural plants as well as many toxic plants Capsicum is a Genus of Plants from the nightshade family ( Solanaceae) native to the Americas, where it was cultivated for thousands chinense
Binomial name
Capsicum chinense Jacq.

Heat: Exceptionally Hot (SR: 100,000-350,000)

The habanero chile (Capsicum chinense Jacquin) (sometimes incorrectly spelled "habañero"^[1]) is one of the most intensely spicy species of chili peppers of the Capsicum genus. Nikolaus Joseph Freiherr von Jacquin or Baron Nikolaus von Jacquin. The Scoville scale is a measure of the hotness or piquancy of a Chili pepper. Capsicum chinense (syn Capsicum sinense) is a species of Chili peppers that includes the following varieties: The chili pepper, chilli pepper, or chili, is the fruit of the plants from the Genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade Capsicum is a Genus of Plants from the nightshade family ( Solanaceae) native to the Americas, where it was cultivated for thousands A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic Unripe habaneros are green, but the color at maturity varies. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, and pink are also seen. Typically a ripe habanero is 2–6 centimeters (1–2½ in) long.

Origin and current use

Like all Capsicum, the habanero pepper originated in Meso- or South America, most likely the Amazon basin or nearby coastal regions. Mesoamerica or Meso-America (Mesoamérica is a Region extending approximately from central Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, defined South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a Upon its rediscovery by Europeans, it was rapidly disseminated around the world, to the point that 18th-century taxonomists mistook China for its place of origin and called it "capsicum chinense"—the Chinese pepper. Taxonomy is the practice and science of classification The word comes from the Greek, taxis (meaning 'order' 'arrangement' and, nomos China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National ^[2][3][4]

The chili's name is derived from the name of the Cuban city of La Habana, which is known as Havana in English. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Havana ( IPA: aˈβana officially Ciudad de La Habana, is the Capital city, major port and leading ^[1]

Today, the crop is most widely cultivated in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. The Yucatán Peninsula, in Southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico. Other modern producers include Belize, Panama, Costa Rica, and some U.S. states including Texas, Idaho, and California. Belize (bəˈliːz formerly British Honduras, is a country in Central America. Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( Spanish: Costa Rica or República de Costa Rica,) is a Country in The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. The State of Idaho ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean.

Habaneros are an integral part of Yucatecan food. Habanero chiles accompany most dishes in Yucatan, either in solid or purée/salsa form. Yucatán is one of the 31 states of Mexico, located on the north of the Yucatán Peninsula.

The Scotch bonnet is often compared to the habanero since they are two varieties of the same species but have different pod types. The Scotch Bonnet ( Capsicum chinense Jacq is a variety of Chilli pepper similar to and of the same species as the Habanero. The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. Both the Scotch bonnet and the habanero have the characteristic thin, waxy flesh. They have a similar heat level and flavor. Although both varieties average around the same level of heat, the actual degree of "heat" varies greatly with genetics, growing methods, climate, and plant stress.

Recently, the habanero's heat, its fruity, citrus-like flavor, and its floral aroma have made it a popular ingredient in hot sauces and spicy foods. Citrus is a common term and Genus of Flowering plants in the family Rutaceae, originating in tropical and subtropical southeast regions of In Cooking, a sauce is Liquid or sometimes semi- Solid food served on or used in preparing other Foods Sauces are not consumed by themselves

Cultivation

Habaneros thrive in hot weather. As with all peppers, the habanero does well in an area with good morning sun and in soil with an acidity level around 5-6 pH. pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution. The habanero should be watered only when dry. Overly moist soil and roots will produce bitter-tasting peppers.

Habanero bushes are good candidates for a container garden. Container gardening is the practice of growing plants exclusively in containers or "pots" instead of planting them in the ground They can live many years in pots or other growing containers at proper temperature.

The habanero is a perennial flowering plant, meaning that with proper care and growing conditions, it can produce flowers (and thus fruit) for many years. A perennial plant or perennial ( Latin per, "through" annus, "year" is a Plant that lives for more than The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group However, in temperate climates it is treated as an annual when planted in the ground, dying each winter and being replaced the next spring. Botanically an annual plant is a Plant that usually germinates, Flowers and dies in one Year. In tropical and sub-tropical regions, the habanero, like other chiles, will produce year round. As long as conditions are favorable, the plant will set fruit continuously.

Black Habanero is an alternative name often used to describe the dark brown variety of Habanero chillies. Seeds have been found that are thought to be over 7000 years old. It has an exotic and unusual taste. Small slivers used in cooking can have a dramatic effect on the over-all dish. Gourmets delight in its fiery heat and unusual flavour.

They take considerably longer to grow than other Habanero chilli varieties but are considered by many to be worth the wait. In a dried form they can be preserved for long periods of time and can be reconstituted in water then added to sauce mixes. Previously known as Habanero Negra, or by their Nahuatl Indian name, they were translated into English by spice traders in the 19th century as " Black Habanero ". The word, " Chocolate " derived from the Nahuatl Indian word, " xocolatl ",was used in the description as well but proved unpronouncable to the British and American traders. So it was simply called " Black Habanero ".

" Habanero ", taken from the Port of Havana, where many traders bought their spices, was adopted as a way of making a clear distinction between similarly named spices.

Cultivars

Several growers have attempted to selectively breed habanero plants to produce hotter, heavier, and larger peppers. This article focuses on selective breeding in domesticated animals The Naga Jolokia is a chili that has a very high Scoville rating that reaches up to 1,041,365 and is often mistaken for a cultivar of the habanero pepper, although it is actually its own species. The Naga Jolokia (also known as Bhut Jolokia, Ghost Chili, Ghost Pepper, Naga Morich) is a Chili pepper that grows in Bangladesh A cultivar is a cultivated Plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics it is usually distinct from similar Most habaneros will rate between 200,000 and 300,000 Scoville units. The Scoville scale is a measure of the hotness or piquancy of a Chili pepper.

Researchers in Texas have recently created a mild version of the habanero pepper which retains the aroma and flavor of the traditional habanero pepper. The milder version was obtained by crossing the Yucatan habanero pepper with a heatless habanero from Bolivia over several generations. The Republic of Bolivia (República de Bolivia) named after Simón Bolívar, is a Landlocked country in central South America. These mild habaneros are expected to be widely available to consumers in the near future [1].

See also

• List of capsicum cultivars

Gallery

A habanero plant with chiles

A habanero plant with fruit and flower

Fruit habanero 'orange'

Habaneros. This is a list of Capsicum varieties cultivars and breeds. The hotness of the fruit in this list is indicated in the Scoville scale, which ranges from no heat

Notes and references

1. ^ ^{a b} Languagehat.com:HABANERO
2. ^ Bosland, P.W. 1996. Capsicums: Innovative uses of an ancient crop. p. 479-487. In: J. Janick (ed.), Progress in new crops. ASHS Press, Arlington, VA.
3. ^ Bosland, "The History of the Chile Pepper"
4. ^ Eshbaugh, W. H. 1993. History and exploitation of a serendipitous new crop discovery. pages 132-139. In: J. Janick and J. E. Simon (eds. ), New crops. Wiley, New York as reproduced at "Uncle Steve's Hot Stuff"

External links

• Chile growing guide