I'm not sure if I am answering you question or not. But my experience last year let me know that a pepper that requires full sun may do just fine in some shade.

I had my best pepper plant ever last year in shade. A Jamacian Hot Chocolate Habanero type. I also had an Early Sunsation Hybrid right nest to it. It did OK, but not as superfantastic as the JHC. They were planted in what remained of an old compost pile, so that helped. But I was very surprised at how well it did, compost or not. This plant probably got 3-4 hours of full strength sun a day with some evening sun in addition, with pretty dense shade the rest of the time. I'll go dig up the pictures.

I'm in Florida, so it is hot and humid here. Shade here might provide benefits that plants might not need or want in other climates. I do think it is worth a try.

Good luck.

Here is is, in the shade as the photo is taken. It is planted in the top of on old compost pile that sits about 2 feet tall. The plant is about 3.5 feet tall itself.

Here is a shot from above to get the foliage better...

And lastly the peppers themselves...

The compopst pile is gone, so I can't try that part again, but I am planting in pots in that same shady spot again to see what happens. Shade until noon, about an hour and a half of full sun, more shade until about 3:30, then sun until sundown. Not exactly full shade, but not the optiumum full sun I hear recommended.

Vance

One word....Rocotos. :)

Chris

The red rocotos I've grown did very well in low light conditions. Hot weather is the only thing I can think of that slows them down & stops pod set. Be prepared for vine-like growth & huge leaves especially with 2nd year plants.

Vance,

That is a nice plant you have there! No doubt that it enjoyed living on top of an old compost pile....

I too have had good experience with Rocotos and shade. I actually believe that shade is the key to growing Rocotos in the unrelenting Florida heat. I have 3 second year Rocotos (2 reds and 1 yellow) that I hope will flourish this year. I learned my lesson 3 seasons ago that Rocotos do not like full Florida sun when I lost one.

I have also had good experience with chiltepin peppers in the shade, particularly the chiltepin amarillo species.

That plant is gorgeous.

I agree that too much sun can slow growth but that's also how you get to insane heat (if that's what you're looking for).

The hottest pepper is always going to be debatable because somewhere, someone has a super plant that gets just the right kind of stress. Perfect amounts of
water, sun, food, CO2, etc. I think sun is a big part of it.

My mom grew a thai dragon i sprouted for her in a fairly shady spot. It did well, even survived a winter.

well here's hoping ZI can fin some Rocotos in the stores....

Idelle, that thread was 9 years old!!!!!!!!!!

Regardless of age, it still needs answers. Another mystery solved.

Rocotto's and some of my Aji peppers did well in a spot in my yard that had very limited sun ( 3 hours) a day in summer. That spot is also near a corner in my yard and the plants overwintered outside in that spot while other peppers in different areas died.