Hot and Chile Peppers
The very best Chile Peppers are home grown. Most are easier to grow and smaller than their sweet cousins. They can also be grown in pots or planters, but for the most heat, plant them in your garden soil and give them minimal fertilizer or compost.
For a special treat, grill the thicker fleshed varieties and enjoy with a late summer meal.
Anaheim Pepper
Source: High Mowing Organic Seed
Mild New Mexico Chile. The name Anaheim is derived from the farmer Emilio Ortega, who brought the seeds from New Mexico to California in the early 1900s. They are also called California Chile or Magdalena, and dried as chile seco del norte. The plants grow to about 18 inches. This offering was a request from a loyal customer. Enjoy!
Ancho Poblano Pepper
Source: Territorial Seed
Dark green, heart-shaped 3×4 inch fruits. Called Poblano when green and Ancho when red and dried. The standard Mexican Variety for sauces and stuffing, distinctive rich flavor without too much heat. 90 days from transplant.
Cayenne Pepper
Source: Seed Savers Exchange
The cayenne pepper is also known as the Guinea spice, cow-horn pepper, aleva, bird pepper or in its powdered form, red pepper. It is a hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes. It is named for the city of Cayenne in French Guianaot. Straight and tapered fruits turn red when ripe. Heavy producer. A staple in my garden. Ground, dried pepper can be used as a repellent for many pests – from bugs to cats who like to chew on plants.
Fish Pepper
Source: Seed Savers Exchange
This pepper is an African-American heirloom that predates the 1870s; the Fish Pepper is bright in color and crunchy, with a hot and bold flavor. In the late 1800s, the Fish Pepper was widely grown in the Philadelphia and Baltimore area.
Fish Pepper plants have beautiful green and white variegated foliage with pendant fruits that are 2-3 inches long. When the fruits ripen, they change in color from cream with green stripes to orange with brown stripes, and then eventually to an all red eating pepper. Traditionally, the fish pepper was used in oyster and crab houses around the Chesapeake Bay. Rated as 3 on a heat scale of 1-5, the Fish Pepper is also perfect for mild-medium salsas.
Habanero Pepper
Source: Seed Savers Exchange
Caribbean favorite reportedly 15-20 times hotter than Jalapeno. Three foot tall plants produce large amounts of lantern-shaped 1” by 1 ½” fruits. Green thin flesh ripens to deep orange. 90-100 days from transplant. This is a good candidate for growing in a container in our climate. Bring indoors when fall temps start to drop.
Jalapeño Pepper
Source: Seed Savers Exchange
Popular medium-hot variety widely used in the burritos and tamales of Mexico and the Southwest. Thick walled, 3 in. fruits are typically eaten green but are also excellent ripened to red. Called “Chipotle” when red and smoked. 70 – 90 days from transplant.
Serrano Tampequino Pepper
Source: Urban Farmer
Wonderful compact plant producing hundreds of small firecracker hot peppers. Fleshy type best for canning or freezing, not drying. Best roasted before adding to sauces. 80 days from transplant.
Sweet Peppers
Growing large, sweet bell peppers can be a challenge in Wisconsin. But if you have a good hot location and are willing to water, mulch and feed them, you can produce a bounty of these healthy gems in your backyard garden. I like to cut up my extra peppers and freeze them to use in sauces, stir fry and fajitas all winter long.
Bullnose Pepper
Source: Seed Savers Exchange
Grown at Monticello by Thomas Jefferson and listed in 1863 by Fearing Burr. Crisp fruits ripen from green to red with an excellent flavor. Productive, sturdy plants. 55-80 days from transplant.
Buran Pepper
Source: Seed Savers Exchange
Extremely sweet Polish heirloom. Two-foot tall plants produce 4″ long bell fruits with 3 lobes. Sweet even when green, sure to be a favorite. Does well in dry areas. 90 days from transplant
Horizon Sweet Bell Pepper
Source: Mountain Valley Seed
Blocky 4″ bell peppers have thick walls and excellent flavor. Heavy yielding. Can also be eaten green. They are a lovely addition to multi-colored pepper dishes. 90 days from transplant.
Jimmy Nardello’s Sweet Italian Frying Pepper
Source: Seed Savers Exchange
Brought to the US in 1887 by Guiseppe Nardello from the small village of Ruoti in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. With an almost candy-like sweetness, these long, tapered peppers are delightful fresh or fried. A recent survey rated this as the sweetest non-bell pepper. 80-90 days from transplant.
Marconi Red Pepper
Source: Urban Farmer
Italian heirloom prized for extremely sweet large red fruits. Plants produce 3-lobed tapered blunt-tipped fruits that measure 3” at the shoulder and up to 12” long. Excellent for using green and fresh in salads, and also for frying and stuffing.
Purple Beauty Pepper
Source: Seed Savers Exchange
Absolutely stunning purple bell pepper. Large 4-lobed thick-walled fruits borne on sturdy compact plants. Tender crisp texture, mild sweet flavor. Holds in the purple stage for some time before ripening to a radiant purple-red. 70-75 days from transplant.
Shishito Pepper
Source: Maggie’s Garden
A favorite old Japanese variety which produces 3-inch long, slightly wrinkled fruit that are perfect for making tempura and other traditional recipes. Fruit is emerald green color, mildly flavored with a just bit of spice; it really is superb. I grew these for a friend last year and planted the extra seedlings in my own garden. They were VERY productive and trouble free. Grilling or pan roasting worked well for a nice light appetizer. They were ripe fairly early in the summer, so a quick producer.
Wisconsin Lakes Pepper
Source: Seed Savers Exchange
Developed in the 1960s at the University of Wisconsin. Great choice for an early maturing bell pepper. Reliable yields of thick-walled, 4-6 oz. fruits that ripen from green to red. 75-85 days from transplant.
24 Years and Still Growing 