Hot pepper Habanero purple Seeds

Habanero Purple is a habanero (Capsicum chinense, family Solanaceae) whose small lantern-shaped fruit pass through dark purple before ripening red-purple. It rates 150,000–325,000 Scoville heat units, far hotter than a jalapeño. The packet holds 5 seeds.

Fruit and plant

• Lantern-shaped fruit 3–4 cm long, about 5–7 g each
• Colour runs deep green, then dark purple, then red-purple when ripe
• Compact, bushy plants 60–90 cm tall; can be grown in containers
• Fruity, floral flavour; used for hot sauces, salsas, marinades and dried chili powder

Sow warm and be patient

Start the seed indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost and keep it at 26–30 °C. Germination usually takes 7–14 days at that temperature. We have no species seed specification for Capsicum chinense yet, so these figures come from the variety notes for this item.

Planting out

Move plants outside once the soil stays above 20 °C. Give them full sun, 45–60 cm between plants and well-drained soil at pH 6.0–7.0, watered so it stays evenly moist. Feed with a balanced fertiliser during growth and a phosphorus-rich one from flowering.

When to expect fruit

Fruit matures about 90–100 days after transplanting, so plan for a long warm season.

What you get: 5 seeds per packet. Keep any seed you do not sow sealed, cool and dry. We have no tested storage life or germination percentage for this packet and do not state one.

FAQ

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes. The plant stays compact at 60–90 cm, and a container lets you move it into the warmest, sunniest spot.

When is the fruit ripe?

When it has passed the dark-purple stage and turned red-purple.