Red Habanero Pepper

$3.00

Small, rippled, bright red fruits
Plants grow to 3 feet
Very hot pepper
Enormous yields
90-100 days from transplant

Item Details

(C. chinense) (aka Lucifer’s Dream) Caribbean favorite many times hotter than the jalapeño. Three-foot tall plants produce enormous yields of small rippled peppers with a characteristic fruity flavor and aroma. 90-100 days from transplant. Sizzling hot.

History of the Plant

As a member of the chinense species, the history of the habanero dates back to 6,500 B.C. An intact chinense pod was found in Preceramic levels in Guitarrero Cave in Peru, indicating that it was 8500 years old.

Learn to Grow Red Habanero Pepper

Start Indoors: 6 weeks before last frost

Germination: 7-14 Days

Plant Outdoors: 12-24” Apart

Light: Full Sun

Growing Media

01 grow

Soil should have abundant phosphorus and calcium, so add lime and compost to the bed at least three weeks prior to transplanting. Mix ½ cup of balanced organic fertilizer beneath each plant

02 Soil

Habanero peppers grow best in well-drained, warm soil rich in organic matter. They prefer sandy loam sand with a neutral or slightly acidic pH of 6.6 – 7.0.

03 SOILLESS

Start seeds and root cuttings using a soilless mix.

03 seed

In optimal conditions at least 65% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 2 years.

03 AEROPONICS

Cuttings will root in aeroponic systems.

Care

01 WATER

Requires moderate levels of water. Once established, they are fairly drought tolerant. Even soil moisture is necessary to prevent cracking fruits and blossom end rot. Avoid getting water on the leaves.

02 NUTRIENTS

Requires high levels of nutrients. Amend soil with compost and aged manure before planting. Fertilize 3–5 times during the growing season using a balanced liquid fertilizer, compost tea, and/or liquid seaweed.

04 planting

Plant peppers transplant 12–18 inches apart after the last frost date. Planting them indoors about 10 weeks before the last frost will help your plant adjust to the number of hours of sunlight

05 MULCHING

Use mulch to conserve soil moisture. Black plastic mulch can be helpful to warm the soil more quickly and allow earlier planting.

Nutrients

01 NUTRITIONAL

A single habanero pepper only contains about 18 calories. It has just 4g of carbohydrates, with a surprising 2.4g of that coming from sugars – although you could hardly call this hottest of peppers “sweet.” One habanero also contains 0.7g of dietary fiber and 0.8g of protein.

02 MEDICINAL

Health Benefits of Red Habanero Pepper

The capsaicin in habaneros also has been shown to also reduce high blood pressure. Apparently, capsaicin stimulates the increase of the insulin-like growth factor IGF-I which reduces blood pressure.