VegetablePepper
Numex 64 Pepper
Numex 64 Pepper is a New Mexico State University, bred hot pepper that brings genuine heat with surprising restraint. Originally developed and refined by the university's breeding program, this open-pollinated heirloom delivers 1,000 to 2,500 Scoville Heat Units of chile flavor across an upright plant reaching 24 to 36 inches tall. From transplant to first harvest takes 80 to 89 days, making it fast enough for most growing seasons across zones 4 through 13. The peppers themselves are the real story: a mild-to-moderate heat profile that builds flavor rather than just fire, backed by decades of New Mexican agricultural heritage.
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
36 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
36in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
This is a genuine New Mexico State University creation, part of a storied lineage of NuMex varieties that shaped American chile breeding. The heat level sits in that sweet spot where home gardeners can actually enjoy the flavor without overwhelming their palate, ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 Scoville Heat Units. It's an open-pollinated heirloom, so seed savers can capture their own seed and perpetuate the line. The upright growth habit keeps the plant tidy and productive, even in smaller garden spaces, and the 80 to 89-day timeline means you'll be harvesting well before frost arrives in most regions.
Common Uses
These peppers are used fresh in salsas, sauces, and chile-based dishes that define New Mexican cuisine. Their moderate heat and developed flavor profile works well in cooking applications where you want the pepper to contribute character without dominating the palate. Home gardeners grow them fresh for eating, roasting, or processing into hot sauces, pastes, and preserved preparations.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last expected spring frost. Sow seeds at a depth of approximately 1/4 inch in a warm location maintaining 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal germination. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged during the germination period.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally closer to 65 to 70 degrees. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before moving them to their final location. Space transplants 18 inches apart in rows 36 inches wide.
Harvesting
Peppers can be harvested green as immature fruit or left to fully ripen to their mature color, a change you'll see clearly as the season progresses. Expect to begin harvesting 80 to 89 days after transplanting. Cut or gently twist peppers from the plant, being careful not to damage branches; the fruit holds firmly when ready. Early harvesting of green peppers actually encourages the plant to set more flowers and fruit, extending your overall production window.
Pruning
The upright growth habit of Numex 64 naturally keeps the plant compact and manageable, minimizing the need for aggressive pruning. Pinch back the central leader when seedlings reach 6 inches tall to encourage branching and a bushier structure. Remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches as they appear, and thin interior growth if the plant becomes overly dense and shaded.
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
“Numex 64 emerged from the chile breeding program at New Mexico State University, where plant scientists spent decades selecting and refining pepper varieties suited to the region's unique growing conditions and culinary traditions. The university's NuMex line represents a deliberate effort to preserve and improve the hot peppers that define New Mexican cuisine and agriculture. Unlike modern hybrids, Numex 64 was released as an open-pollinated cultivar, allowing gardeners and farmers to save seed and maintain the variety themselves, ensuring its survival across generations. This approach reflects the university's commitment to making elite genetics accessible to home growers, not just commercial operations. The variety carries multiple names (NuMex College 64L, NuMex Heritage 6-4) as it circulated through seed catalogs and gardening communities, each name a small testament to its journey from university research plots into backyard gardens.”