VegetablePepper
Pimiento De Padron Pepper
Pimiento de Padron peppers are a Spanish heirloom that brings an element of culinary surprise to your garden. These upright plants reach 18-30 inches tall and produce small, elongated peppers that shift dramatically in heat as they ripen from green to red. Starting at the green stage with a mild, almost sweet character, they transform into noticeably spicier peppers once they turn red, offering 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Heat Units depending on maturity. Ready to harvest in 90-99 days from transplant, they thrive in full sun across hardiness zones 4-13 and are open-pollinated, organic, and heirloom quality.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
30 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
30in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Low
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The genius of Padron peppers lies in their unpredictable heat. Even peppers from the same plant vary in their spice level, which is exactly why they became a beloved Spanish tapa, the element of surprise at the dinner table makes them genuinely fun to cook and eat. At the green stage they're sweet and mild enough for anyone, but let them ripen to red and they develop serious kick. This single plant gives you a range of experiences from one growing season, making it both a conversation starter and a practical kitchen tool.
Common Uses
These peppers excel when fried quickly in olive oil, a preparation that brings out their sweetness and allows their skin to blister slightly. At the green stage they're mild and approachable, suitable for frying whole or slicing into dishes where you want pepper flavor without serious heat. As they mature to red, they become far spicier and work well in dishes where you want genuine kick, or they can be pickled for long-term storage and snacking. Their small, manageable size and thin walls make them ideal for quick cooking methods that don't require peeling.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost. Peppers germinate slowly and prefer warm soil temperatures between 70-85°F. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix and keep the soil consistently moist until sprouts emerge, typically 10-14 days.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after your last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60°F. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days. Space transplants 18 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, ensuring they receive full sun.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting when peppers reach 2-3 inches long at the green stage, typically 90-99 days from transplant. Green peppers will be sweet to mildly hot, harvest them before they begin turning red if you prefer milder heat. For spicier peppers, allow them to mature fully to red before picking. Harvest regularly to encourage continued flowering and fruit production throughout the season. Use a knife or pruners to cut peppers from the plant rather than pulling, which can damage branches.
Pruning
Pimiento de Padron peppers naturally grow in an upright habit and require minimal pruning. Remove any lower leaves that touch the soil to improve air circulation and reduce disease risk. Pinching back the growing tips when plants are 6-8 inches tall can encourage bushier growth and more branching, resulting in higher yields, though this is optional.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Capsicum annuum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Capsicum
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (NI)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“Pimiento de Padron peppers hail from Galicia in northwest Spain, where they've been grown for generations in the small municipality of Padron. These peppers became a staple of Spanish cuisine and culture, particularly in the form of the traditional tapa 'Pimientos de Padron fritos,' where they're simply fried in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. The variety remains an open-pollinated heirloom, passed down through seed-saving traditions that kept this specific cultivar alive and distinct. Its journey from a regional Spanish specialty to home gardens worldwide reflects both its unique qualities and the seed-saving community's commitment to preserving heirloom vegetables.”