Peppers are also native to America and were grown by American Indian tribes in both North and South America over 2,000 years ago. The small red hot peppers were discovered by Columbus in the West Indies and introduced into Europe, where they became popular before gaining widespread aceptance in the United States. Peppers became one of the first New World foods used commercially in Europe. Botanists class the fruit of the bush-type garden pepper as a berry. Although most varieties of peppers produce red fruits (which are green in their immature stage), there are some yellow-fruited varieties, and peppers are of both mild and pungent types. Peppers enjoy warm climates, and young plants can be injured by frosts. Seasonings such as paprika and chili powder and food products such as canned pimentos are commercial uses of garden peppers that are grown in the United States today.
The familiar spice black pepper known in households throughout the world is the product of a trailing or climbing shrub grown in Indonesia and other hot countries. The islands of Java and Madura furnish most of the black pepper used in American homes. The United States buys almost 25,000 tons of this spice annually.