Item: Ornamental Pepper Onyx Red
Author: AAS Display Garden- River Valley Master Gardeners

Ornamental Pepper Onyx Red

2018 AAS Flower Winner

Onyx Red is one of those stunning double-take plants that steal the show! This breeding work has resulted in an unprecedented compact, well-branched ornamental pepper adorned with eye-catching dark black foliage. The contrast between the diminutive black foliage and tons of shiny red fruits is striking and makes a bold statement in the garden. Plants are vigorous, continually growing but retain their neat, compact habit, making Onyx Red a wonderful plant for beds, borders, containers and dramatic mass plantings.

Naturally compact plants are perfect for a potted plant program as well as for an annual bedding plan where earliness and retail readiness are important factors.

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Description

AAS WINNER DETAILS

Winner Type: National
Class: Capsicum
Variety Name: Onyx Red
Genus: Capsicum
Species: annuum
Year: 2018
Common Name: Ornamental Pepper
Type: Flowers from Seed
Breeder: Takii & Co., Ltd.
Close Market Comparison: Black Pearl, Black Olive

PLANT NEEDS

Duration Type: Annual
Light Needs: Full sun
Water Needs: Dry to normal
Dead Heading Recommended: No
Staking Required: No

PLANT CHARACTERISTICS

Foliage Color: Black
Plant Habit: Compact, Bushy
Plant Height: 6 inches (Pot), 8-10 inches (Garden)
Bloom Time: Late spring, summer to frost
Bloom Color: Purple (Flower) Black to Red (Fruit)
Bloom Color Pattern: Solid
Bloom Size: 3/8 inches (Flower), 3/8 inches round (Fruit)

IN THE GARDEN

Container: Yes
Pollinator Friendly: Yes
Weather Tolerance: Heat, Rain
Garden Spacing: 6-8 inches
Low Edging: Yes

HOW TO GROW

Cover the seed lightly with vermiculite after sowing. Germination takes 5 to 7 days and plug stage needs 4-5 weeks under 68 to 77℉(20 to 25℃). Enjoy black foliage with no fruit after 8 -12 weeks from sowing. With mature red fruits, it takes more 4-6 weeks. Overall, it performs best under high light as much as possible and warm temperatures.

JUDGE'S OBSERVATIONS

“Red and black fruit exhibit beautifully within extremely black foliage.”
“Real WOW power in the landscape.”
“Hugh hit with trial garden visitors.”
“This is an awesome plant.”
“The appearance of the entire plant lends itself to an “all-season” interest instead of just when the peppers started to show.”
“Held a nice, petite form with gorgeous fine foliage in the garden.”

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Reviews

AAS Display Garden- River Valley Master Gardeners – 08/09/2018

The black foliage is striking in mixed containers, even before the fruit arrives mid-summer in Zone 6a (planted from seed).

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