Folklore/Common Names: African Pepper. Chillies, Bird Pepper, Red Bird Pepper, Cockspur Pepper, Goat's Pepper, Paprika (mild form)

Parts Used: Fruit, ripened and dried.

Historical Reference

While we know that Cayenne, or Capsicum, takes its name aptly from the Greek meaning 'to bite', ancient cultures where one would almost expect to find Cayenne - such as Chinese, Latin, or Hebrew references - show no recorded reference to Cayenne at all until the late 15th Century when Columbus took note of the pungent flavoring of certain foods he'd sampled in India. It was certainly cultivated in the tropical Americas as well, and into some parts of Africa. A popular spice along trade routes, Western Europe did not see its cultivation until the sixteenth century, and one notable species, Cayenne frutescens, finally appeared in Millers Garden Dictionary as late as 1771.

Medicinal Use:

Constituents: Capsaicin, oleic, palmitic and stearic acids.

Cautions: While Cayenne is safe in normal moderate amounts, those with intestinal disorders such as ulcers or chronic bowel disease should be careful using Cayenne. Excessive use of Cayenne can cause severe stomach upset and overdose is possible in large amounts.

It may be hard to imagine something with the stinging hot sensation of Cayenne Pepper could have such a soothing effect, but Herbalists have been using Cayenne to sooth a multitude of ailments for hundreds of years, including but not limited to:

• Fever - take in capsule form followed by a glass of water.
• Cold - one or two doses of the powder taken in warm water. Try the same for a hangover!
• Sore Throat - use a Cayenne infusion/tea as a gargle
• Stomach Upset and Gas - Added as a spice or taken as a tea, Cayenne aids the digestive system by stimulating the production of gastric juices
• Diarrhea
• Asthma and Bronchitis
• Toothache - Clean out the tooth cavity, then take a small piece of cotton, saturated with Cayenne oil, and press into the cavity. It will burn for a second, then provide long lasting relief from the original pain.
• Loss of appetite
• Alcoholism - Grieve tells us in A Modern Herbal, "For persons addicted to drink it seems to be useful possibly by reducing the dilated blood-vessels and thus relieving chronic congestion." Some sources say it also reduces the craving for alcohol.
• Seasickness
• Rheumatism, arthritis and joint pain, muscle aches
• Inflammation, sores, wounds
• Menstrual cramping
• Laryngitis (lemon juice, honey and cayenne pepper, taken as needed)
• Raynaud's disease
• Shingles
• Fibromyalgia

Modern Herbalism is also recommending Cayenne pepper as a preventative against hardening of the arteries, stroke, and heart disease.

Prepare an infusion (tea) in the ration of 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of water, take in ½ ounce doses or used as a gargle in the case of sore throat.. For heart and circulatory system, ¼ teaspoon can be taken in water or juice three times a day, four days a week.

Externally, Cayenne can be used in poultice, stimulating the blood flow to the area to reduce inflammation and ease painful joints. Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs recommends: "To make a powerful liniment for sprains and congestion, gently boil 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper in 1 pint of cider vinegar. Bottle the unstrained liquid while it's hot." To make a muscle rub, mix a little crushed Cayenne pepper with rubbing alcohol and apply.

Gardening with Cayenne Pepper:

While some report growth of this perennial shrub in heights from 2-6 feet high in their ideal tropical environments, I've found they average about a foot tall in warmer non-tropical climates. An unusual plant, the leaves are broad and kind of puffy and wrinkled looking, branching on woody stems that tend to have a slightly purple color at the nodes, an interesting contrast when the fruits achieve their range of yellow to red in color. Cayenne plants flower in Summer, and have a long growing season, from 14 to 18 weeks. Consider starting indoors in areas with shorter growing seasons. Mulch to protect from drought.

Harvesting Cayenne -
The fruits - or more properly, berries - are ready to be harvested when they have turned completely bright red. Don't pull the pepper, instead cut the stem about ½" -1" from the pepper. Hang to dry immediately, and store in a cool dry area. When perfectly dry, the peppers can be ground into a powder. Don't inhale! Once ground, the color can be affected by light, so always keep ground pepper in a dark container

Cayenne pepper are not only full of flavor, but contain more Vitamins A and C than almost any other vegetable or herb you can grow. Add to that high contents of iron, potassium, and niacin, and you have one extremely beneficial little addition to your diet! If it's still just a bit too hot for you, consider common paprika. It's the mildest form of Cayenne but still retains the highest Vitamin C content.

Magical Use:

Note: NEVER burn Cayenne or use it in an incense blend!

Beyerl reports in a compendium of Herbal Magick that Cayenne or Chili Peppers have the specific benefit of aiding in understanding or coming to terms with the divorce of one's parents. Consider using it as an offering to the Divine Father and Divine Mother.

He goes on to say that dried peppers hung in a home can help the couple understand the need for separate time and space, a necessary ingredient in keeping a healthy relationship and relieving stress involved.

Now, go out and add a little spice to your life...make it Cayenne!!

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