VegetablePepper
Anaheim Chili Pepper
The Anaheim Chili Pepper carries the story of early 20th century California agriculture in every 6-8 inch long fruit. This mild-heat pepper produces prolifically on upright plants reaching 18-24 inches tall, thriving in zones 4-13 and ready to harvest in just 70-79 days. With thick, meaty walls and heat levels ranging from a gentle 500 to a moderate 2,500 Scoville units, these peppers bridge the gap between sweet bells and fiery hot varieties.
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
24 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
What sets Anaheim peppers apart is their remarkable versatility and forgiving nature. The thick walls make them exceptional for roasting, stuffing, and smoking, while their mild heat allows for raw eating and gentle salsas. These prolific producers resist common pepper ailments including Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Bacterial Leaf Spot, making them reliable performers in containers or garden beds. Their meaty texture and ability to be preserved by drying extends their usefulness well beyond the growing season.
Common Uses
These versatile peppers excel in both fresh and cooked applications. Their thick walls make them perfect for roasting and smoking, developing complex flavors that enhance sauces and stews. They're ideal for stuffing and frying into Chile Rellenos, pickling for tangy condiments, or adding fresh to salsas and salads where their mild heat enhances rather than overwhelms other ingredients. The peppers can be dried and preserved for year-round seasoning, extending their culinary usefulness well beyond harvest season.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors about two months before the final frost date. Sow 2-3 seeds per cell, 1/4 inch deep in quality seed-starting mix. Maintain consistent temperatures of 70-80°F for optimal germination, which typically occurs within 7-14 days. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, and provide 14-16 hours of daily light using grow lights or a south-facing window.
Transplant Outdoors
Begin hardening off seedlings about two weeks before the last frost date by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions for increasing periods daily. Transplant outdoors only after danger of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures consistently remain above 50°F. Space plants 18-24 inches apart in rows 24-36 inches apart, digging holes slightly larger than the root ball and watering thoroughly after transplanting.
Harvesting
Harvest Anaheim peppers 70-79 days after transplanting when they reach 6-10 inches long and feel firm to the touch. Green peppers offer the classic mild flavor, while allowing them to ripen to red provides a sweeter taste. Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to cut peppers from the plant, leaving a small stem attached, rather than pulling by hand which can damage the plant. Regular harvesting encourages continued fruit production throughout the growing season.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Deer ResistantEdible
Scientific Classification
Capsicum annuum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Capsicum
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (NI)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“The Anaheim variety traces its roots to Emilio Ortega, who brought these pepper seeds to the Anaheim, California area in the early 1900s. Recognizing their exceptional potential, Ortega began cultivating them extensively throughout the region. His vision proved prescient as these peppers became so associated with their new California home that they took the city's name. Ortega's cultivation efforts eventually led to the creation of the famous Ortega brand of canned chilies, cementing the Anaheim pepper's place in American culinary culture.”