VegetablePepper
Cochise Pepper
Cochise is an F1 hybrid pepper that brings Hungarian wax pepper character into a compact, prolific plant bred for reliable production across diverse growing zones. These semi-hot peppers mature in just 70 days from transplant, reaching 18 to 30 inches tall and producing abundantly from pale green through yellow, orange, white, and finally deep red. With a Scoville heat level between 7,500 and 10,000 units, Cochise delivers medium heat that's hot enough to notice but still approachable for most palates. Hardy in zones 4 through 13, this variety adapts to gardens, raised beds, and greenhouses, making it accessible whether you're gardening in cool northern climates or warm southern regions.
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
High
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Highlights
Cochise peppers transition through a stunning rainbow of colors as they ripen, from pale green to golden yellow to vivid red, giving you both visual drama and multiple harvest windows. The plants stay compact and shrubby at 18 to 30 inches, yet they set peppers in remarkable abundance, so you'll get impressive yields from a small footprint. These are genuine hot peppers with Hungarian wax character, capable of handling roasting, pickling, or fresh applications with equal grace.
Common Uses
Cochise peppers excel roasted, where their thin walls char beautifully and develop sweet depth beneath their heat. They pickle exceptionally well, their medium heat and meaty texture holding up through brining. Fresh, they bring both fire and flavor to salsas and hot sauces. Their color progression from green through yellow and orange to red means you can harvest at multiple stages depending on whether you want fresher, grassy undertones or deeper, sweeter maturity.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Pepper seeds germinate best at soil temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures reach at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Space plants 18 inches apart with rows 36 inches apart.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting 70 days after transplanting. Pick peppers at any stage of color development, from pale green through yellow, orange, white, or full red ripeness. Peppers harvested at green stage offer fresher, brighter heat; mature red peppers develop sweeter undertones. Cut peppers cleanly from the stem with pruners rather than pulling, which can damage branches. Continued harvesting encourages more flower and fruit production.
Pruning
Cochise's upright, compact growth habit requires minimal pruning. Remove any lower leaves that touch soil once plants are established to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure. Pinch out the first flowers if plants seem weak or stunted at transplanting; this redirects energy to root establishment rather than premature fruit set.
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)