Hot pepper

Fiery hot peppers are an easy plant to grow in great variety. There are many different types, each with varying degrees of heat. But since they take up such little space, plant several and decide which you like best. (They're excellent in containers, and attractive!)

Ancho or poblano peppers are mildly hot and often used for stuffing. Jalapenos are several times hotter. Tabasco peppers are up to 50 times hotter and habaneros are 100 times hotter.

While the variety of hot pepper is the biggest determinant of spiciness, weather and stress also play a role. Plants suffering from water or nutrient stress produce fewer but hotter peppers. Cool, cloudy weather makes peppers less hot. The biggest difference, however, is due to variety.

Light:

Sun

Plant Type:

Vegetable

Plant Height:

6-48 inches tall

Plant Width:

18-36 inches wide

Bloom Time:

Colorful fruits are the main show from hot peppers. Many varieties display fruits ranging in color from yellow to red to purple at the same time on a single plant.

Landscape Uses:

Beds & Borders

Top Varieties

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'Ancho 211' pepper

bears mildly hot heart-shape fruits that are good for stuffing, making chili rellenos, or drying. 90 days
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'Holy Mole' pepper

is a mildly hot pasilla-type that was developed especially for mole sauce, but it can be used in other hot-pepper dishes as well. Green fruits mature to chocolate brown. 85 days
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'Pretty in Purple' pepper

offers attractive purple fruits, stems and leaves. It's a great ornamental as well as edible hot pepper. Fruits turn red at maturity. 85 days
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'Tabasco' peppers

are used to make the sauce with the same name. It is best adapted to the Southeast. 120 days
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'Thai Hot' pepper

features pencil-thin fruits that are borne above the foliage, making an attractive display as fruits change from creamy yellow to orange then red at maturity. The extremely hot fruits are used in Thai cooking. 42 days
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