Chili peppers grow on a number of species of the Capsicum genus. Capsicum annuum, for example, is an annual that includes bell peppers, sweet peppers, pimentos, banana peppers, paprika, cayenne peppers, and many others. Chili peppers come in many colors, sizes, and shapes, but in all of them the chemical compound responsible for their pungent flavor and often heat is capsaicin.
Chili peppers grow on a number of species of the Capsicum genus. Capsicum annuum, for example, is an annual that includes bell peppers, sweet peppers, pimentos, banana peppers, paprika, cayenne peppers, and many others. Chili peppers come in many colors, sizes, and shapes, but in all of them the chemical compound responsible for their pungent flavor and often heat is capsaicin.