Hot Peppers

ALL AMERICA SELECTIONS WINNER. This is a Fresno-type pepper, bearing brilliant red fruit that are cone-shaped and about 4 inches long. In their green stage, they are fairly similar to a jalapeno, but the mature red peppers develop more heat and a complex flavor described as fruitier and smokier. Enjoy their unique flavor in hot sauce and salsas, as well as cut up fresh on tacos. Succeeds not only in hot, dry areas, but also in a wide range of growing conditions. 75 days.

The fruit of this jalapeno turns dark purple and stays that way for a long time before finally ripening to red. Peppers are somewhat larger than regular jalapeno, but with the same thick walls and fiery heat. Great for use in salsas. 75 days.

Hot cherry pepper is round and matures from green to bright red. Popular for pickling and preserving. May also be stuffed with cheese and used as a popper.

This strain from Greece is somewhat rare and prized by those who want the peppers for pickling. Because they are smaller and lighter in color than the regular Pepperoncini, homemade jars of these golden peppers look more like the commercial product. Same hot flavor as the other Pepperoncini, and the perfect additions to Greek salads. 62 days.

Very large ancho peppers are perfect for stuffing into chiles rellenos as well as use in chili and other dishes where mild to moderate heat is needed. Deep-green, flat and tapered peppers mature to 6 inches long and about 3 inches wide, with a high percentage of 2 lobes. Tall, large plants are high yielding and perform well even under cooler conditions. 90 days.

4 inch long, slightly wrinkled peppers taper to a blunt, lobed end and are very popular for pickling. They have a mildly hot but exciting flavor, and are commonly jarred for use in Greek salads and salad bars. Expect an abundant harvest. 62 days.

ALL AMERICA SELECTIONS WINNER. This hybrid serrano combines big, extended harvests of large, firm peppers with resistance to 3 races of Bacterial Spot, Potato Virus Y, and nematodes. These peppers are 4 inches long and 1 inch wide with 3,000 Scoville units of heat, making them great for giving an extra kick to salsas and pico de gallo. 75 days.

Also known as the Ghost Pepper, this is one of the hottest peppers in the world, bearing extremely hot, red fruit about 2½ inches long. In 2007, Guiness World Book of Records named it the hottest pepper and listed it as 1,002,304 Scoville units. It has since been surpassed, but it’s still plenty hot and should be handled with great care. Germination may take up to one month. 100 days.

Large to extra-large jalapeno produces high yields of uniform, smooth peppers with the classic jalapeno shape ending in blunt tips. Peppers have a high pungency rating and are reliably hot. Large, vigorous plants are widely adaptable to a variety of climates and highly resistant to Potato Y virus and Bacterial Spot races 0-3 and 7-8. 75 days.

Fiery hot, wrinkled yellow peppers are related to habanero, and are at least as hot if not hotter. The searing heat has an excellent, citrus-like flavor that can be appreciated in the seconds before the heat sets in. Originally from Africa, these plants become 3 to 4 feet tall, maturing abundant crops of fruit earlier than plants of habanero. Peppers are 2 to 3 inches long with a wide top that tapers down to a point, and are shriveled all over. 80 days.

This wonderful seasoning pepper from Trinidad may look like a typical habanero, but it has no heat. What it does have is delectable pepper flavor that adds so much to make Caribbean dishes really special. Pendant peppers are 1 to 1½ inches long and mature to golden orange-yellow. Plants are tall and prolific. 80 to 85 days.

Medium-hot peppers with a distinctive flavor are 4 to 6 inches long and deep orange-red with brown tones. The name means “little gourd” for the rattling sound the seeds make in the dried pods, which are good for adding to salsas and sauces. 90 days.