Habaneros thrive in hot weather. As with all peppers, the habanero does well in an area with good morning sun and in soil with a pH level around 5 to 6 (slightly acidic). The habanero should be watered only when dry. Overly moist soil and roots will produce bitter-tasting peppers.
The habanero is a perennial flowering plant, meaning that with proper care and growing conditions, it can produce flowers (and thus fruit) for many years. Habanero bushes are good candidates for a container garden. In temperate climates, though, it is treated as an annual, dying each winter and being replaced the next spring. In tropical and subtropical regions, the habanero, like other chiles, will produce year round. As long as conditions are favorable, the plant will set fruit continuously.
Black habanero is an alternative name often used to describe the dark brown variety of habanero chilis. Seeds have been found that are thought to be over 7000 years old. It has an exotic and unusual taste. Small slivers used in cooking can have a dramatic effect on the overall dish. Gourmets delight in its fiery heat and unusual flavor. Black habaneros take considerably longer to grow than other habanero chili varieties. In a dried form, they can be preserved for long periods of time, and can be reconstituted in water then added to sauce mixes. Previously known as habanero negra, or by their Nahuatl name, they were translated into English by spice traders in the 19th century as "black habanero". The word "chocolate" was derived from the Nahuatl word, "xocolatl", and was used in the description as well, but it proved to be unpronounceable to the British traders, so it was simply named "black habanero".
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