Ripe Arriba jalapeño peppers, just harvested

Hot Pepper Seeds

Hot peppers range from mild poblanos and Anaheims to fiery habaneros, and they're easy to grow wherever summers are warm. You'll find jalapeños like Arriba and Jalafuego, cayennes such as Red Flame and Red Ember, classic habaneros, serranos, and more. Hybrids make up most of the range, and many carry resistance to bacterial leaf spot and potato virus Y. Heat level depends on variety, weather, and stress, and dry, hot conditions push heat higher. Start them in flats 8 to 10 weeks before frost on a heat mat, since pepper seed germinates slowly in cool soil. Set plants out after nights stay above 55°F. Pick green or let them ripen for full color and flavor.

Hot pepper types and heat

Pepper heat is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU), and it varies with weather and growing conditions as well as variety. Here's a quick guide to the main types we carry.

Jalapeño (about 2,500 to 8,000 SHU) is the most popular hot pepper in the U.S. Pods are thick-walled, about 3 to 4 in. long, and great for salsa, poppers, and pickling. Smoked and dried red jalapeños become chipotles.

Serrano (10,000 to 25,000 SHU) is slimmer and hotter than a jalapeño, with a bright, crisp heat that's common in Mexican salsas.

Cayenne (30,000 to 50,000 SHU) peppers are long and slender, often curled, and easy to dry for flakes and powder.

Habanero (100,000 to 350,000 SHU) has a fruity, floral flavor under intense heat. Habaneros need a long, hot season.

Poblano and Anaheim types are milder, used for roasting and stuffing.

Growing tips

Hot peppers are slower to germinate and grow than sweet peppers, so start them early, 8 to 10 weeks before transplant, and keep the soil at 80 to 85°F until they sprout. Keep plants growing steadily with even moisture and moderate fertilizer. Too much nitrogen gives leafy plants with few fruits. Wear gloves when handling and processing the hottest types, and keep hands away from your eyes.

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