cayenne pepper

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Arts & Culture

cayenne pepper

spice and cultivar, Capsicum annuum

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 7, 2024 • Article History

cayenne pepper

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Category: Arts & Culture

Related Topics:: spice and herb; Capsicum annuum; chili pepper

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cayenne pepper, (Capsicum annuum), small-fruited pepper in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), the source of a very pungent spice of the same name. The cayenne pepper is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum and is said to have originated in Cayenne, French Guiana. The spice is produced by drying and grinding the orange to deep-red fruits and derives its piquant flavour from the chemical capsaicin.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.