RE: [CH] Poisonous Peppers?

Michael Bowers (bowers@elsie.ucdavis.edu)
Tue, 10 Nov 1998 10:16:53 PST

>Does anyone know if there are any members of the Capsicum family that 
>are unsuitable for consumption?
>
>I have a few ornamentals here, tasted one, it was nice and hot... and 
>so far I survived...  ;)
>
>Or are there any other plants that could easily be taken as Capsicums?

	This is a question I get asked a lot... there are no poisonous members
of the Capiscum family.  Some/many ornaental peppers are sold 'not for
cunsumption'; this may be due to being treated with a systemic pesticide, or it
may just be caution on the part of the wholesaler (I presume the grower would
know better).  

	There are a few plants sold as 'peppers' that are something else.  I
wouldn't think that most are really poisonous, but they may not be really great
for you.

	In my experience plants fall in about five catagories:

	poisonous - will make you seriously sick or kill you
	not poisonous, but don't really do much for you; might make some people
			sick
	not poisonous, but not really good -- most plants -- they aren't bad
			for you, but they don't taste good either
	edible, but not tasty
	edible, and taste good -- this is most human food

Peppers belong in the last two groups; many ornamentals are in the next to last
group.

Thanks

Mike
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Michael Bowers			  Internet: mkbowers@ucdavis.edu
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