Pepper Seeds - Hot - Jamaican Red
90-100 Days to maturity. Capsicum chinense. Jamaican Red Hot Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom hot pepper seeds with high heat levels: 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units. This spicy pepper offers a smoky flavor that makes it ideal for hot sauce, salsa, or pickled peppers. Comparable to habaneros, but with a sweeter flavor profile. ~5,800 seeds per ounce.
Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF
Growing Jamaican Red Hot Pepper in the Vegetable Garden
Start Jamaican Red seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last frost date, sowing 0.25 inch deep, since this variety germinates slowly and needs a long, warm season to mature fully. Transplant outdoors once the danger of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures stay reliably above 60 F, spacing plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 24 to 36 inches apart.
Water consistently to avoid blossom-end rot, and fertilize with a balanced fertilizer through the season, cutting back slightly on nitrogen once fruiting begins to encourage more pods rather than foliage. Staking or light support can help keep heavily loaded plants upright as pods mature.
Harvesting Jamaican Red Hot Pepper
Pods can be harvested green for a milder flavor, but for the fullest heat and sweetness, wait until they mature to a deep red color. Use scissors or pruning shears to snip pods from the stem rather than pulling, which can damage the brittle branches. Wear gloves when handling, since the high capsaicin content can irritate skin and eyes.
About Jamaican Red Hot Pepper Garden Seeds
Jamaican Red is a Scotch bonnet-type heirloom pepper long used in traditional Caribbean cooking, particularly in Jamaican jerk seasoning and hot sauces.
Its heat rivals that of the habanero, to which it's closely related, but it's often noted for a sweeter, fruitier flavor alongside the intense spice.
The smoky depth of flavor this variety brings to hot sauces and marinades has made it a favorite among home hot sauce makers and Caribbean cooking enthusiasts alike.
Tips From Our Gardeners
Let a few pods ride out fully on the plant before harvesting any. The heat and flavor both continue to develop and deepen the longer a pod stays on the vine past its first blush of red.
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- Jerry Sawyer, True Leaf Market Writer |
Jamaican Red Hot Pepper Seeds Per Package:
- 250 mg Packet - Approximately 51 Seeds
- 0.25 oz - Bulk - Approximately 1,450 Seeds
- 1 oz - Bulk - Approximately 5,800 Seeds
- 4 oz - Bulk - Approximately 23,200 Seeds
- 1 lb - Wholesale - Approximately 92,800 Seeds
Non-GMO Jamaican Red Hot Pepper seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.
Basic Info
| Latin Name: | Capsicum chinense |
| Jamaican Red Pepper Color: | Matures from green to red. |
| Jamaican Red Pepper Flavor: | Smoky and sweet-hot, comparable to a habanero, with 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units. |
Growing Info
| Hardiness Zone: | Annual in zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Days to Maturity: | 90-100 days |
| Days to Germination: | 10-21 days |
| Seeding Depth: | 0.25 inch |
| Plant Spacing: | 18-24 inches |
| Row Spacing: | 24-36 inches |
| Plant Height: | 24-36 inches |
| Growth Habit: | Upright |
| Soil Preference: | Well-draining, fertile soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. |
| Temperature Preference: | Warmer, 70-90 F |
| Light Preference: | Full Sun |
Other
| Direct Sow: | No, this variety germinates slowly and needs a long, warm growing season, best supported by starting indoors. |
| Start Indoors: | Yes, 8-10 weeks before transplanting outdoors. |
| Plant Width: | 18-24 inches |
| Deer Resistant: | Yes |
| Germination Temperature: | 80-85 F |
| Pests and Diseases: | Watch for aphids, pepper weevils, and blossom-end rot. |
| Garden Size: | Garden Plot, Raised Bed, Container, Greenhouse |
| Climate Tolerance: | Heat |