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enter image description hereenter image description hereI am a newcomer to Canada and have been experimenting with growing vegetables here in my garden. I did sow some seeds of chilli, pumpkin and tried with some potato as well. They seem to have come out quite good. I hope I am getting what I started with.
enter image description here Please help me to reconfirm that the image uploaded is of chilli only.

chilli

I will upload rest of pics soon.

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  • I think the leaves are too elongated to be chili peppers. My first thought was an Epilobium, perhaps American Willowherb (E. ciliatum)
    – Niall C.
    May 11, 2016 at 18:54
  • I grow chili's as well and it looks like chili's but more pictures would help confirm
    – JStorage
    May 11, 2016 at 18:58
  • It is most certainly a member of the Labitae family, though I couldn't say which one. This family includes the most commonly used herbs in the kitchen (though I am not advocating this plant for culinary use). But members of this family include mints, basils, oregano, marjoram, and sage among others used for more medicinal and landscaping purposes.
    – Escoce
    May 12, 2016 at 20:25
  • just wondering if anyone manage to find out what this plant is. I have a bush of this plant growing and I believe I planted peppers. Please let me know Thanks
    – Tunde
    Jun 14, 2018 at 6:08
  • The third image in the set looks to me like it could be a pepper. The others with serrated edges are not, they're too tender and look more like an annual plant than a perennial. Jun 14, 2018 at 13:56

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No. I've seen many peppers, and that does not look like a chile pepper (granted, I've seen a few peppers that I didn't think looked like peppers while young—e.g. my greenhouse-grown Aji Omnicolor peppers; the indoors one looked like a regular pepper, however). Your plant looks more like basil, but I don't really know what it is. It doesn't look like a pumpkin or potato plant.

Pepper leaves typically are not serrated. They're usually broader (although that can depend). They're usually somewhat thicker (those leaves look thin). The new leaves grow differently. Pepper stems usually look tougher (that one looks very pliable).

If that's basil, you should be able to identify it by smell and/or taste (if you know what basil smells or tastes like—but be careful not to swallow, in case it's an unidentified poisonous plant). There are many kinds of basil (and many taste or smell different), however. The most popular ones have broader leaves than that, but some, such as various kinds of Thai basil, have narrow leaves. Possibly Spicy Globe basil.

The other pictures should help us identify it better.

A green chile is just a green hot pepper (not a specific variety, either). Green peppers are normally unripe, although they may be fit to eat at a certain point while green; so, the plant won't normally have green in the name, and if it ripens red, as most peppers do, it's no more a green chile plant than a red chile plant. However, some peppers may be better suited for green picking, even if they ripen red—so take what I said with a grain of salt.

If what you have is a chile pepper, the leaves probably are spicy (or contain some capsaicin), too. Some pepper breeds have leaves that are supposed to be edible, but I have no idea which ones. (So, I don't recommend swallowing that or leaving it in your mouth long if you try it.) However, Spicy Globe basil and other plants may or may not be spicy, too (but probably in a way that feels different).

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  • Just to re-iterate @Shule point - Chilis are part of the nightshade family - while some will have edible leaves, the elaves of some are poisonous, so its a good idea to stay clear of them.
    – davidgo
    May 12, 2016 at 17:55
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    thanks friends. It is not basil, because it does not smell like one. I am posting some more pics for better scan and comments. You response and participation has encouraged me to share something I got from my dad, who inspired me to get into gardening (he was too good with gardening) He said once long back that "THERE ARE NO STRANGERS IN THE WORLD, BUT ONLY THE FRIENDS WE HAVE NEVER MET BEFORE". continue scratching your head to find what is popping up in my garden, I am doing the same. cheers.
    – El Mora
    May 12, 2016 at 17:57
  • @ElMora Does it have a fragrance at all? I get the impression it's in the mint family (like basil is), but there'll most likely be some kind of scent if it is. May 12, 2016 at 21:46

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