Peppers

The history of hot peppers

The cultivation of chili peppers has existed for at least 9,500 years. It is believed to be native to Brazil, but it was cultivated in Mexico (Tehuacan) 7,500 years BCE. At that time, chili peppers were used as a vegetable or condiment, but also for their medicinal properties. It was at the end of the 15th century that they were introduced to Europe, following the voyages of Christopher Columbus. In the 17th and 18th centuries, imported spices were very expensive and were a sign of wealth. With the arrival of chili peppers, many people replaced the famous “Indian pepper,” which was very expensive, with chili peppers, making it “the spice of the poor.”

Today, there are thousands of varieties of chili peppers, and they are cultivated on all continents. Chili peppers are perennial in tropical regions and annual in temperate regions.