A type of pepper, Capsicum annuum, grown for its thick, sweet-fleshed red fruit. A member of the plant order Polemoniales, pimento is of American origin, and gets its name from the Spanish word designating all sweet peppers. In the United States, however, the term pimento generally refers to the heart-shaped varieties (cultivars) grown in the South for canning and used for stuffing olives and flavoring foods. Perfection is a popular variety. Harvesting begins when the fruits are fully red, usually 2½–3 months after planting. Georgia is the only important pimento-producing state.