Peppers are tropical plants and will not survive freezing weather. They need to be brought inside. I was able to keep my sweet peppers alive in the garden by covering with blankets during frost warnings, but if you have the option of moving them inside, I would do that.

Bellatrix

thank you. i did.

Agreed.

We had two light frosts before the heavier frosts and the California Wonder plants I have survived - although some of the peppers began to rot and the leaves drooped a bit.

Then the very hard freeze did them in.

Here is a link that might be useful: BsnTech Gardening Blog

"Peppers are tropical plants and will not survive freezing weather." The only exception to that, and I mean only, is the chili petin (aka chili pequin, bird pepper, etc.). It's native to Texas, so will come back from the roots (maybe that's why you thought yours would?). But every other pepper I've ever encountered is toast in a freeze.

I beleive most peppers if not all will come back from a mild freeze as long as the roots have not been frozen solid. I pulled up a Rocoto the middle of Dec. that had seen many frosts and even some temps in the 20's. Yanked it out cut it down to a stick potted it an it is doing fine.

Dale