Chilli Pepper Red Habanero - Very Hot

Franchi - Chilli Pepper Red Habanero 

The Tropical Torpedo: Chilli Pepper Red Habanero

Turn up the temperature in your greenhouse with the Chilli Pepper Red Habanero. A legend in the world of spicy food, this variety is not for the faint of heart. It is the classic "Caribbean hot pepper," delivering explosive heat coupled with a surprisingly delicate, fruity flavour. While many super-hots are grown just for the dare, the Habanero is a culinary icon. It produces small, lantern-shaped fruits with thin, crinkled skin that ripen from green to a brilliant, glossy red. For UK and Irish gardeners, this is a rewarding challenge that requires a bit of patience but pays off with a harvest that packs more punch per square inch than almost anything else you can grow.

• Serious Scoville Power: With a rating of 100,000 to 350,000 SHU, this is roughly 50 to 100 times hotter than a Jalapeño. A single pepper is often enough to spice a whole pot of chilli.

• Complex Flavour Profile: Beyond the burn, Habaneros are prized for their floral, apricot-like aroma and citrusy undertones. It is this unique flavour that makes them indispensable for jerk sauces and chutneys.

• High Yields: Once established in a warm spot, the plants are prolific. A single plant can produce dozens of peppers, providing enough spice to last you through the entire winter.

• Compact Habit: As a Capsicum chinense variety, the plant stays relatively bushy and compact, making it ideal for pots on a sunny windowsill or conservatory.

Master Gardener's Tip: The Waiting Game

Patience is the secret ingredient with Habaneros. Unlike the Hungarian Hot Wax (which is a different species), Habaneros are slow starters. They need a long, warm growing season to mature. Do not panic if your seedlings seem to grow slowly in the spring—this is normal. They require heat to ripen, so in the UK and Ireland, they perform best in a greenhouse, polytunnel, or a sunny south-facing window. Keep the soil slightly drier than you would for sweet peppers; stressing the plant slightly with less water as the fruit ripens can actually increase the heat level! 

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