Petite Brazilian Sweet Pimento Pepper

Look what we have here. Mini Pimentos!, these are going to be used for festive garnishes. The red color suits everything from Valentines to Christmas to New Years. I am so excited to get my hands on these Brazilian imported pepper seeds. Already started in little trays, sitting on a heat mat, my "Little Beaks", or "Little Kiss" pepper....yay!

From the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, Pimenta De Bico peppers are mildly hot, small, round and either a brilliant scarlet-red or sunshine-yellow, with a small beak-shaped protuberance hanging from the end. The plant makes a beautiful ornamental plant, and many of these plants grace Brazilian gardens and yards.

The incredible rich flavorful small of these chilies are perfect served as a garnish or as an appetizer with drinks or can be used to perk up almost any soup, stew or braised dish.

Found here

Purple Bell Vine!!

I am ready for the next adventure (...as well as spring). This time Rhodochiton atrosanguineum. And since it flowers the first year from seeds, I don't have to be patient :)

 

 Native of woodland in Mexico, this attractive plant scrambles through the undergrowth and produces dark purple tubular flowers within a long lasting, papery calyx. The angular heart-shaped leaves are bright green and show off the unusual flowers to good effect. The flowers have an exaggerated bell-shaped calyx in a rich pink to fuchsia color. The flower is a narrow dark purple to almost black tube that hangs like the clapper of the bell.

Flowers the first year from seed. Sow early in spring to flower June to frost, or grow as a perennial in the greenhouse.
A delicate but fast growing tropical vine, which works well as an annual flower in hanging baskets and containers if given something to climb up, as the vines twine freely.