it is a perennial and can last for several years, but in cooler climates, C. chinense does not usually survive the winter. It will readily germinate from the previous year's seed in the following growing season, however. Domestication, cultivation and agriculture Seeds of C. chinense have been found in cave dwellings in Central America that indicate the natives have been consuming peppers since 7,000 B.C. In Eastern Mexico, dry pepper fruits and seeds have been recovered from 9,000 years old burials in Tamaulipas and Tehuacán, further indicating their use since 7,000 B.C. Domestication might have taken place 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in Central–East Mexico. C. chinense peppers have been cultivated for thousands of years in their native regions, but have only been available in areas outside of the Americas for about 400–500 years following the Columbian Exchange. Selection in the new environments have led to the rise of new varieties that are bred and farmed in Asia and Africa. C. chinense are also popular with many gardeners for their bright colors (ornamental value) and for their fruit. Culinary use C. chinense and its varieties have been used for millennia in Yucatán and Caribbean-style cooking to add a significant amount of heat to their traditional food. They are mainly used in stews and sauces, as well as marinades for meats and chicken. American food at times also uses some of these chiles. For example, Habanero (a group of C. chinense varieties) are commonly used in hot sauces and extra-spicy salsas, due to the popularity of Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisines in American culture. Common C. chinense varieties Like C. annuum, C. chinense has many different varieties, including: 7-Pot chili (Trinidad) 7-Pot cultivar 7-Pot Primo (Louisiana) 7-Pot cultivar 'Carolina Reaper' (South Carolina) Adjuma (Suriname) Ají chombo (Panama) Ají dulce (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela), a non spicy cultivar Arriba Saia (Brazil) Datil (Florida) Fatalii (south central Africa) Habanero chile (Caribbean, Central America and Mexico) Habanero cultivar 'Red Savina' Cabai gendol (Indonesia) Hainan yellow lantern chili (Hainan Island, South China) 'Madame Jeanette' (Suriname) Bhut jolokia (Assam) Bhut jolokia cultivar 'Dorset' Naga pepper Scotch bonnet (Jamaica, Trinidad) Trinidad scorpion (Trinidad) Trinidad scorpion cultivar Trinidad scorpion 'Butch T' Trinidad scorpion cultivar Trinidad scorpion moruga blend Jamaican Hot Chocolate. Kambuzi pepper, Malawian pepper Cabik geronong (Sarawak, Malaysia) Nayi Miris නයි මිරිස් (Sri Lanka) References External links chinense