About this seed

Chocolate Cherry is a hot pepper (Capsicum annuum, family Solanaceae) with round, cherry-sized fruits that ripen from green to deep chocolate-brown. Heat is moderate, about 2,000–5,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), with a smoky, slightly sweet taste. The packet holds 5 seeds.

Also known as: Chili pepper, Mirchi (Hindi), Milagai (Tamil), Mulaku (Malayalam), Chile (Spanish), Piment (French), Peperoncino (Italian), Pimenta (Portuguese), Chili (German), Prik (Thai).

Fruit and plant

Fruit: round, cherry-shaped, 2–4 cm across, about 10–15 g, smooth and glossy.
Colour: green, ripening to chocolate-brown.
Heat: 2,000–5,000 SHU.
Plant: compact and bushy, 60–90 cm tall.

Kitchen use

Use the fruit in fresh salsas, grilled or stuffed, and in sauces, soups and marinades. Dried and ground, it makes chili powder or flakes. The small brown fruit also works as a garnish.

Sow warm, about 6 mm deep

Keep the soil at 18–35 °C, the optimum range for this species. At 25–35 °C seedlings usually appear in about 8–9 days. Sow about 6 mm deep and start indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost date. These figures are typical for Capsicum annuum, not measured on this lot.

Planting out and harvest

Move the plants outdoors when the weather is reliably warm and frost is over. Space them 40–50 cm apart in full sun and well-drained, fertile soil, water regularly and mulch. Fruit is typically ready 75–85 days after transplanting, counted from the day the plants go outside.

Keeping spare seed

Pepper seed of this species stays usable for about 2 years when stored cool, dark and dry. We do not state a germination percentage for this packet.

What you get

5 seeds of Hot Pepper Chocolate Cherry.

FAQ

How hot is it?

About 2,000–5,000 SHU: moderate heat.

When is the fruit ripe?

When it turns chocolate-brown, typically 75–85 days after transplanting.