Jamaican Red Pepper is a Capsicum chinense cultivar that brings serious heat and complex flavor to the garden. Open-pollinated and heirloom, these peppers reach maturity in 100 to 109 days under full sun, delivering pods packed with 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville Heat Units. What sets them apart is their smoky character balanced by unexpected sweetness, a flavor profile that rivals habaneros but with greater depth. Whether you're making hot sauce, salsa, or pickled preparations, this variety rewards patient growers with peppers that taste as sophisticated as they are fiery.
Full Sun
Moderate
9-12
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High
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These peppers punch above their weight with a smoky flavor layered under genuine heat, creating complexity that justifies their reputation as an heirloom favorite. The sweetness underneath the Scoville burn makes them remarkably versatile for hot sauce and fresh preparations alike. At roughly 5,800 seeds per ounce, seed saving from these open-pollinated plants ensures you'll have abundance for years to come. Gardeners who love habaneros but want something with more nuance will find Jamaican Red Pepper delivers exactly that.
Jamaican Red Peppers excel in hot sauce and salsa, where their smoky character shines through fresh preparations. They also work beautifully pickled, and the heat level makes them suitable for any application where you want serious spice without sacrificing flavor complexity.
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Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Maintain warm soil temperatures around 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit for reliable germination. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged until seedlings emerge.
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days before transplanting outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have reached 60 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in full-sun locations to ensure adequate air circulation and light exposure.
Peppers reach peak maturity around 100 to 109 days after transplanting. Harvest when they turn deep red, which indicates full ripeness and maximum Scoville heat. Use pruning shears or a sharp knife to cleanly cut peppers from the plant, leaving a short stem attached. Peppers harvested at the green stage will continue ripening off the plant if needed, but the red stage delivers the full smoky flavor and heat intensity these plants are bred to produce.
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