Also known as the Red Fresno, is C. annum pepper was famously named in honour of Fresno, California, and has been a popular pepper in the region since the 1950s.  The plant shares a lot in common with its close cousin the ubiquitous Jalapeño, and can be used to replace its cousin for a colourful, sweeter, often less spicy cullinary delight.  The ripened pods are superlatively useful for every purpose, from fresh to pickled, from grilled to stuffed, from sweet or savoury sauces to dried into flakes or powder.  If powdered without its seeds, it can be used in a similar way to dried paprika powder.  It's easy to see why this is one of the most popular C. annuum varieties. 

The plant grows fairly quickly, in a form highly typical to most C. annuum peppers, and benefits greatly from "topping," or the removal of the plant's crown immediately below the triple Y shortly after its formation.  This pepper is exceptionally well suited to being grown in pots indoors or on patios, featuring fairly robust stalks that can survive a little bit of abuse.  Although the flowers are somewhat nondescript, due to its relatively rapid ripening, the brilliant crimson pods are very showy against the rich green foliage, thus providing excellent decoration around patios.

This variety has been widely grown for decades, and thus has an exceptionally stable genome.  The strong roots, and solid stems also make for excellent grafting for those who enjoy more advanced gardening techniques.

Photo credit:  Wikimedia Commons