The Banana Pepper derived its name from its long, crooked banana-shape fruit and the yellow color when maturing. Banana peppers belong to the Capsicum family and have a crisp, juicy texture. Flavor ranges from sweet to mild to hot. Native to the tropics, peppers were introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus and were soon indispensable in Spanish cuisine. Sweet banana peppers are popular in salads and stir-fries, while hot banana peppers are often used in curries and other hot meals.

Banana Peppers are usually yellow when harvested, turning red as it matures.

Sweet Banana Pepper

The Sweet Banana pepper's color changes from pale to deep yellow to orange as it matures. Due to its color and shape this pepper is easily confused with the hotter yellow wax pepper. The Sweet Banana Pepper has a long, tapered shape and a sweet taste, making it a suitable substitute for bell peppers in cooked dishes. Sweet Banana peppers taste good when fried or sautéed, or to add a crispy crunch to salads and sandwiches.

Banana Bill Hybrid Pepper

The Banana Bill Hyrbrid pepper is a sweet pepper and color ranges from light yellow to red when ripe. Fruit are typically 7 to 8 inches long by 1-3/4 inch wide. This pepper has thick, juicy walls and is delicious when harvested yellow or orange, but the flavor is especially sweet when red. The Banana Bill is disease-resistant and provides a high yields. Planting season for the Banana Bill is spring.

Hot Banana Pepper

This heirloom variety from Europe is considered a mildly hot pepper. Fruit is waxy, yellow and 6 to 8 inches long. It takes 65 to 85 days to mature and the taste ranges from medium to hot with between 5,000 and 15,000 Scoville heat units.

Inferno Hot Banana Hybrid Pepper

The Inferno is a hot banana hybrid. The fruit is medium green in color, turning yellow to red as it ripens. It has a slim, tapered shape and is between 6 and 8 inches long. The Inferno is mildly hot at 4000 Scoville units. Planting time is just after June 15th June. Don't plant earlier than that, as early, cold June nights may cause blossoms to drop before pollination, resulting in a bushy plant with no fruit.