Chili peppers are warm-season crops known for their pungent, spicy flavor. They are believed to have originated in South America, in a region of southern Brazil and eastern Bolivia, according to New Mexico State University. Gardeners should sow seeds when temperatures warm in springtime and frosty weather has left the region. Chili peppers consist of many cultivars including 'Anaheim,' "Mexican Chili,' 'Red Chili' and 'Habanero.' Peppers average 3 to 7 inches in length with a diameter up to 2 inches. Chili plants are usually hardy and free of pests and problems.

Chilli plants from the tropical Americas are grown for their edible and ornamental fruits. Chillies can be eaten green or when they ripen and turn red. The peppers feel hot in your mouth because they contain the chemical capsaicin. Chilli plants are perennial, but frost kills them. They are normally grown as annuals in the United States. Chillis also can be grown indoors as houseplants.

Both hot and sweet peppers grow well in most climates as long as they receive three months of sun and warmth. These annual vegetables cannot tolerate frost and must be planted out in the garden bed after the soil temperature reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit. In most areas the summer is too short to sow pepper seeds directly in the garden so nursery-grown seedlings are used. Planting seedlings ensures the pepper plants are closer to maturity and have the necessary time to produce mature fruits.