"On Saturday, October 4th, 2008, from 1-4 p.m., members of the Tidewater Unit of the Herb Society of America will present a variety of ways to 'spice up your life' using chile peppers ranging from sweet to mild to scorching. 'Under The Arbor' is an informal, drop-in program held periodically in the National Herb Garden. Admission is free."
Did you know that more than 100 varieties of peppers are included in the National Herb Garden at the United States National Arboretum in Washington D.C.? They say, "Some as hot as habaneros and others as mild as a sweet pepper. All growing together in one large bed, the fruits provide a kaleidoscope of color in autumn."
I'm sure that a bed of peppers is a spectacular sight, but are you asking yourself why chili peppers are in an herb garden? If you are, here is the answer. The garden people would tell you, "You may have thought that herbs are just for cooking. Not so - an herb is any plant that serves a purpose other than providing food, wood or beauty. Herbs give us dyes for cloth, essential oils for fragrances, medicines, and even insecticides. And herbs are not just annual or perennial plants - many of our most important herbal products come from trees and shrubs. Every plant in the National Herb Garden, including all of the trees, is an herb."
So, there you have it. The chile peppers are not there because they are a wonderful food or because of their natural beauty. They are there because they have medicinal qualities (such as the widely known benefits of cayenne peppers). What a great testimonial this is for the medicinal benefits of chile peppers! Right?! Otherwise, the way I read it, they wouldn't be there. Don't forget. This is the official National Herb Garden which is part of the United States National Arboretum which is part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Don't let anyone tell you that chile peppers don't have any medicinal qualities. Ha!
Here is a link to a map with directions to the National Herb Garden in case you are in the Washington D.C. area and want to attend the chile pepper demonstration and see the peppers in the garden. Have fun!
www.usna.usda.gov/Information/directions.html
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Just wanted to let you know that the National Herb Garden only grows between 50 and 70 cultivars of chile pepper in any given year, not 100! And this year, there are even fewer due to some hungry critters during the spring propagation season.
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