Roxi

Roxi is a compact, dwarf ornamental chilli (Capsicum annuum) prized as much for its looks as its heat. Barely 20–25 cm tall, it carries a dense covering of small, cone-shaped fruits (roughly 1.5–2.5 cm long) that ripen through a shifting display of purple, yellow, orange and red — making it a favourite edible houseplant for a sunny windowsill. Despite the ornamental billing, the pods pack a genuine kick at around 26,000 SHU.

History & lineage

A modern dwarf cultivar bred for container and windowsill growing, Roxi is widely offered by UK seed houses such as Sea Spring Seeds and Premier Seeds Direct. Its precise origin and breeder are not well documented.

Culinary uses

Fully edible and genuinely hot: the small pods can be used fresh or dried, though Roxi is grown mainly as an ornamental. In small quantities the heat suits salsas, chilli flakes and infused oils.

Growing it in the UK

Annuum is the forgiving group, and the right place to start. Seed germinates readily in warmth, the season is short enough to finish outdoors in a good summer, and February to early March is soon enough to sow. Germination is given as 14 days.

At 20–25 cm it is a windowsill or small-pot plant — a 3-litre pot is plenty, and it will not need staking. The compact habit makes it a good container plant and an easy one to keep on a windowsill. The record puts the yield at heavy, so start feeding weekly with something high in potassium as soon as the first fruit sets — a plant carrying that much will run out of steam otherwise.

It is hot enough that gloves are sensible when you are preparing a batch, and that a seeded pod is a very different proposition from a whole one.

Read from this variety's own record — the figures are in the panel opposite.