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Hot to Nuclear Peppers

 

Aji Brown Mild heat. Produces good yields of 7" x 1 ¼" wide, pointed hot peppers. Ripens from green to chocolate brown when mature. A variety from Peru.

Aji Dulce Mild heat. Looks and tastes like an habañero, but with only a trace of the heat. Ripens to red. 

Aji Panca Mild heat. Fruits 3–5 inches long and 1–1 ½ inches across. Medium thick flesh with berry and fruit overtones. Its aromatic taste makes it superb raw in salsas or salads. Ripens to a deep red to burgundy color. A variety from Peru.

Aji Yellow Very hot. Plant produces good yields of 2" x 1" wide hot peppers. Ripens from light green, to yellow, to golden yellow. A variety from Peru.

Anaheim "M" Mild. Produces good yields of 7" x 1" wide hot peppers. Ripens from green to red. Excellent fresh, pickled, or fried. Not as hot as the other Anaheim varieties.

Ancho Mex Large Medium hot. Widely used for making chile rellenos and for mole. Known as ‘Poblano’ when fresh, ‘Ancho’ when dried. Large, heart-shaped, dark green fruits ripening to deep red. Hotter when red.

Black Prince Hot. Compact, purple-leafed pepper. 1.5" pointed fruits; Tabasco shaped pods. Ripens from green to brown to red.

Boldog Mild heat. Produces good yields of 5" long hot peppers. Ripens from green to dark red. This pepper has a richer taste than most paprika peppers. Excellent for making Genuine Hungarian Paprika.

Bolivian Rainbow Very hot. Ripens from brilliant purple to yellow to red. Everbearing plants have purple foliage and flowers yielding tiny, pointed fruits. Bears early and throughout the season. Needs warm conditions day and night to germinate and fruit well. Great landscape plant.

Bulgarian Carrot Hot. Vibrant orange, 2-3 in. carrot-shaped fruit satisfies the chile aficionado with consistent heat and fine flavor. Extremely productive variety with dense foliage to protect the fruit from sun scald.

Cascabel Very Hot.  Conical shaped fruits start out yellow, ripen to red. Medium-sized, drought resistant plant.

Cayenne, Long Red Slim Very hot. Pencil-thin, long, pointed peppers. Dries well.

Cayenne, Passion Very hot. Fruits have a slight purple hue as well as being sweet, firm and delicious— a must have!

Charleston Hot Very hot. Developed by the USDA at Clemson University in SC to produce a disease and nematode resistant and super hot cayenne chile. The long pods have twice the heat of a typical Cayenne and about one third the heat of a habañero. The pods change color from the very palest green (with some purple smudges) to dozens of shades of orange. This variety is a heavy feeder.

Cherry Medium hot. Produces loads of pendant pods, 1 x 1.5". Ripens from green to red. Great flavor—great fresh, pickled or stuffed.

Chile de Arbol Medium to very hot. Name means "tree-like chile." Mark Miller says "Thin fleshed; has a tannic, smoky, and grassy flavor, and a searing, acidic heat on the tip of the tongue. Primarily used in powdered form to make sauces. Also used in soups and stews."

Chinese 5-Color Very hot. 1 – 1¼" long by 0.5 – 0.75" wide; matures from purple to cream to yellow to orange to red; upright blunt-nosed pods; a tall ornamental from China.

Czechoslovakian Black Med hot. Great combination of flavor, heat and color. Highly ornamental green foliage accented by purple veins and white-streaked lavender flowers. Blunt, conical fruits ripen from black to red.

Datil Very hot. Related to habañero. Has been grown for 300 years in St. Augustine, Florida. Ripens to a bright golden yellow. Used in sauces and jellies. Generally not available to home gardeners, except for at Pete’s!

Fatalii Very hot. This habañero-type pepper is FATALLY HOT!  Heavy yields on compact plants. Peppers are about 1 x 3". Ripens from green to bright yellow-orange. Compact plants; great for pots.

Firecracker Hot. Compact plants provide an abundance of miniature, upright peppers in a multitude of fiery, hot colors.

Giant Chile Like Anaheim but bigger.  Mild flavor.

Habañero Very hot. One of the hottest peppers. Lantern-shaped bright yellow-orange fruit. Wonderfully aromatic with fruit flavor. 

Habañero, Caribbean Red Very hot. One of the hottest peppers. Similar to other habañeros, but ripens to a brilliant red.

Habañero, Chocolate Very hot. One of the hottest peppers. Similar to other habañeros, but ripens to a chocolate brown.

Hungarian Wax (Hot Banana) Medium hot. Long, banana-shaped peppers, 6 – 7" long x 1-½" at the shoulder. 'Hungarian Wax' is a very reliable and productive variety adapted to the cool north as well as the deep south. Use fresh, canned, or pickled.

Jalapeño, Early Hot. Jalapeño flavor, but bears earlier—60–65 days, as opposed to about 90.

Jalapeño "M"  Mild. Jalapeño flavor, but without the heat.

Jalepeño, Tam Mildly hot. Produces good yields of 3" long by 1" wide hot peppers. Peppers turn from green to red when mature. Perfect for salsa and pickling.

Jamaican Red Hot Hot. Habañero-like pepper. Hot, smoky flavor and aroma. Great for sauces.

Kung Pao  Mildly hot. Fairly new hybrid. 6-9" long, skinny, dark red pepper similar in appearance to the cayenne. Great flavor, often used in Thai and other Southeast Asian cuisines. Plants are fast-growing and vigorous.

Lemon Drop Very Hot. Citrus-flavored heirloom pepper is a popular seasoning in Peru, its country of origin. Bright yellow, crinkled, cone-shaped fruits are about 2-½" long and ½" wide, with very few seeds. Dense plants grow to about 2 ft. high and wide, and are covered with neon-bright fruits.

Malaga Bird Chile Very Hot. Ripens from green to red, and has small, slightly tapered fruit. The fruit, when threaded into Ristras, dries well and makes a beautiful decoration around the kitchen.

Malagueta Very Hot. A rare Brazilian variety. Semi-wild relative to the Tabasco . Small peppers with wrinkly skins. Searing heat. Light to medium green ripening to red.

Manzano Yellow Originally from South America, "Manzano," means apple. It is very resistant to low temperatures and is commonly grown at high altitudes. It grows in a large shrub, sometimes as a creeper. Smallish, round fruit ripens to yellow-orange. It also has unusual black seeds.

Mayan Cobanero Love Very hot. Bright red, heart-shaped fruit about ½" long. One of the world's hottest peppers. Originally grown by the Mayans.

Nosegay Hot. Compact ornamental pepper with foliage that looks like bay leaves. Tiny plants are spectacular in a border or in window boxes. Fruits ripen through a rainbow of colors. Very decorative.

NuMex Bailey Piquin Hot. Chile piquins grow wild in parts of Mexico, Guatemala and southern Arizona and Texas, where birds eat them and spread the seeds.  Unlike like most of the modern pepper types, chile piquins fall off the plant when ripe. 'NuMex Bailey Piquin' was developed at New Mexico State University as the first machine harvestable piquin.

NuMex Joe E. Parker  Mild heat. Extremely productive, traditional Anaheim type. Uniform, 6-8" x 2", 2-lobed fruits ripen from bright green to mahogany to red, but are mostly used green. Favorite for chile rellenos and enchiladas, grilled, and roasted for stews and sauces. The flesh is thick and crisp with a delicious mild heat and richly satisfying chile flavor. Medium-tall plant

Orange Thai  Hot.  Produces many  2 to 2-½" long, finger-shaped fruits that start out green and ripen to an electric orange. Well suited for pots and will produce two crops if started early enough.

Pasilla  Mildly hot. “Pasilla” means “little raisin” in Spanish and refers to the wrinkled, deep brown dried pods and raisin like aroma of this flavorful chile. The elongated, cylindrical pods measure 6 – 8" long x 1" wide. Delicious either fresh or dried, the beautiful fruits mature to dark chocolate brown. When used fresh, Pasillas are called Chilacas and add a rich flavor to enchiladas and chile sauces, soups, and stews.

Pequin Very Hot. Prolific producer of pendant fruits. Bushy plants are covered with numerous pointy fruits.

Peruvian Purple Mildly hot. The fruits are dark purple/black in color, growing in loose, upright clusters. Pequin-type fruits are about 1" x ½" and ripen to red.

Prik-E-Gnu Very hot. One of the most popular chili varieties in Thailand. Grows exceptionally well in pots and produces an almost never ending supply of tiny fiery hot chilies that are easily dried. The more you pick, the more they produce. The pods grow pointing up and the plant is very colorful, with all colors showing at the same time.

Purple Mayan Hot. This ornamental plant has dark purple leaves, flowers and fruit. The small cone- shaped peppers ripen to a brilliant red.

Rooster Spur Very hot. As the name suggests, this plant produces masses of chiles that resemble rooster spurs. The pods are very hot and have thin walls, which make them easy to dry.

Royal Black  Hot. Very ornamental. The foliage and stems are dark-purple, almost black with an occasional variegated growing tip of green, purple, and creamy white. The undersides of the leaves are green with purple veins. The bullet-shaped red fruits are ½" wide x 1-¼" long, and borne upright on 3 foot well-branched plants. Ripens from purple to red with purple-black stripes. 

Scotch Bonnet  Very hot. A type of habañero, considered the hottest pepper in the world. Words such as 'blistering' and 'incendiary' are used to describe it. The Scotch Bonnet is sweeter and a little less hot than other habañeros, but still extremely hot. The flavor is citrusy and fruity. Great for salsa.

Serrano Very hot. In Mexico, one of the primary sauce and pickling peppers. Shaped like a smaller jalapeño, with thin walls, and ripens from dark green to red. Distinctive flavor. Slightly hairy leaves that droop at night.

Small Black Saved seed. Not sure if its exact origin or its characteristics yet. Let us know what its like!

Sunny Very hot. Pendant fruits are long and thin, with a pointed end. Ripens from dark green to vivid red. Ideal for all types of cooking where heat is required.

Tabasco  Very hot. Native to the Tabasco state in Mexico, this pepper is famous for its use in the sauce bearing its name. The small, thin peppers are also quite ornamental as they ripen from yellow to orange to bright red.

Tepin Very hot. A perennial, wild, birds eye pepper of unique flavor. Fruits are bright red, small and round. Plants fruit best in second year and should be brought indoors to over winter. 

Thai (thin, pointy) Very hot. Produces masses of long slender chilies which grow hanging down. Fruits ripen from red to green.

Thai, Bankok Upright Very hot. This extremely hot pepper has long, skinny, redish–purple fruits. Fruit grows upright, hence the name.

Thai, Old Style Very hot. Small, bushy plant with tiny peppers that continually flowers. Fruits ripen to bright red.

Tobago Hot. Very flavorful. Hot, smoky, citrus flavor—more than habañero! Very productive.

Trinidad Hot. Ripens to orange/yellow. Pendant, slightly folded fruits, sweet and fruity taste. 

Venezuelan Purple Very hot. Very ornamental plant with dark purple foliage and pendant fruits that ripen from purple to green to red. Works well in the landscape.

Yatsafusa Very hot. From Japan. Long multi-branched plant with tight clusters of long, thin, erect fruits that ripen from light green to dark red. Leave fruit on stems, harvest after pods dry (remove leaves and hang by branch). Can also be grown as indoor house plant. 

Zimbabwe Birds Eye Very hot. This tiny little piquin shaped devil is rated in the top 10 for it's strength. Fruits grow skyward on the bush, and it's not uncommon to have over 500 of these fiery monsters on one plant. Ripens to a bright red.

Zimbabwe Bird Saved seed. Not sure if its exact origin or its characteristics yet. Let us know what its like!

 

Sweet to Warm Peppers

Ace  Bell. Earliness and high yields characterize this hybrid. Deep green, large fruits are nice fresh from the vine or for stuffing.

Aconcagua Sweet. Very large, long frying peppers, up to 11" x 2½", tall plants give good yields over a long season.  Fruits are very sweet and delicious! This pepper was named after Mt. Aconcagua in Argentina

Anaheim  Medium hot. One of the most popular chili peppers. Medium thick dark green flesh, ripening to bright red. Continuous bearing, high yielding, vigorous, 24 to 30" plants are bushy and upright.

Baby Bell  Bell. Mini-Bell Red peppers! A unique mini-bell pepper on compact plants that grow about 16" tall and fit nicely into small garden spaces or patio planters. The small blocky fruits measure 1½" by 1½" and perfect stuffing types.

Banana Bill Sweet. A banana pepper with long, tapered fruits, 6" x 1", that are a bright, light yellow that ripens to red. Thick-walled and excellent flavor that's especially sweet at the red stage. High-yielding plants are disease resistant.

California Wonder Bell. Good all-purpose bell pepper. Productive and disease resistant. Starts green, ripens red. A favorite since its release in 1928.

Carolina Wonder  Bell. The best nematode-resistant bell for home gardeners. Ripens green to red. he foliage, fruit, and yield of 'Carolina Wonder' are very similar to 'Yolo Wonder B'. Less prone (than other bells) to developing fungus in the seed cavity. Four-lobed fruits weigh 1/4 – 1/3 pound, roughly 3" x 3".

Charleston Belle Bell. Bred to resist damage from the southern root-knot nematode by the US Vegetable Lab in Charleston, SC. Prolific; produces 3–4" x 3" blocky bell peppers with thick, dark green walls. Peppers ripen to scarlet and become very sweet. Perfect for the gardener who wants to avoid harsh chemical controls.

Cubanelle Sweet. Italian Sweet Frying Type; 4–6" long x 1 to ½" wide; medium thick flesh; ripens from greenish yellow to deep red; pendant pod. Great roasted, in sauces, fresh or fried.

Golden Summer Yellow bell. Best golden pepper for superior fruit production and quality. Yields of mild and sweet fruits, with exceptionally thick walls, start out lime-green, then turn a sunny gold at maturity.

Gourmet  Orange bell. Medium-large, blocky fruits are easy to grow under a wide variety of conditions. Strong compact plants set plentiful fruits without crowding. Gourmet is a colorful salad pepper with sweet, thick-walled flesh.

Greek Golden Pepperoncini Mild. This flavorful golden pepper is the classic garnish for deli sandwiches, salads and pizza. Usually picked and pickled in the yellow stage, it holds its color and flavor well when processed. A very productive variety.

Gypsy Sweet. Early sweet yellow pepper. Fruits are wedge-shaped and abundant. Medium sized plants that continuously fruit. Produces well in cool and hot regions.

Hungarian Paprika Sweet. This strain has excellent color and a sweet, spicy flavor. Compact plants produce an abundance of peppers averaging 1 x 5". The fruit does show some susceptibility to sunscald and blossom-end rot, but is otherwise an excellent variety. The sweet, very dry flesh is ideal for drying. Grind dried fruits for a superb paprika seasoning.

Italia Sweet. Similar to Corno di Toro. Long, tapered fruits ripen from green to dark crimson.  Wonderful sweet taste. Great in pasta sauces or stir fries.

Italian Gourmet  Sweet. Heirloom Italian pepper with flavor plus F1 hybrid vigor. Sweet and spicy dark green fruits with thin skin.

Jimmy Nardello Sweet. Heirloom pepper. Long, 8–10", thin peppers with a tapered shape. Red when ripe with shiny, wrinkled skin. Considered the sweetest non-bell pepper.

Large Sweet Cherry

Mini Yellow Bell  Bell. Short and stocky 16" plants covered with 2" fruits that have 2–3 lobes, excellent fresh flavor. Ripens from green to to yellow. Perfect for stuffing or in salads.

Pimiento Sweet. Heart-shaped fruit is 4½"  long and borne on 1½"  ft. tall, strong, upright plants. Pimento peppers are often canned or pickled.

Purple Beauty  Bell. Blocky, thick-walled, dark purple fruits set well. Compact plants offer good foliage cover for the fruit. Beautiful in salads as well as stuffed.

Red Cherry  Sweet. 1½" round fruits with a slight taper; ripens from deep green to red and have medium-thick walls. Use in salads and for pickling.

Round of Hungary Sweet. Pimento cheese pepper early to mature.
Ribbed, flattened fruits have very thick, sweet, delicious flesh. Distinctive fruits are an intense red, and are great for cooking, stuffed peppers, and salads.

Sweet Banana Sweet. Profuse harvests of 5½" – 6" long, tapered peppers that are wonderful fried or cut up into salads. Ripen from light green to yellow to orange, and finally to red. Compact plants.

Sweet Chocolate Bell. Starts out dark, shiny green, ripening to a rich chocolate brown.

Sweet Havanna Sweet. Improved Cubanelle type with thicker walls. Matures earlier and has more prolific yields than other varieties.

Trinidad Seasoning Sweet/Mildly hot. A delicious sweet habañero-type pepper. Flavor is fruity and good; some have a little heat around the seeds. Plants are loaded with brilliant yellow habañero-shaped fruit.

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Pete's Herbs • 5920 Chisolm Road • Johns Island, SC 29455 • 843 559-1446 • petes.5920@juno.com