Capsicum pubescens

The oddball of the family. Pubescens comes from the Andes and plays by its own rules: fuzzy leaves, jet-black seeds, and thick, apple-crisp flesh you can bite like fruit. It's also the most cold-tolerant chilli species going, which makes it a smart pick for the cooler ends of NZ. The trade-off is patience, it's slow out of the gate, so start early and give it a long run.