VegetablePepper
Numex Twilight Pepper
Numex Twilight Pepper is a stunning ornamental-culinary hybrid developed by New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute, bred specifically for home gardeners who want both vibrant color and genuine heat. This upright annual grows 18, 24 inches tall and produces peppers with 30,000, 50,000 Scoville Heat Units, reaching harvest in 80, 89 days from transplant. Hardy in zones 4, 13 and thriving in full sun with moderate water, it's a deer-resistant plant that shines in containers, raised beds, and garden plots alike.
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
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
This pepper brings the showmanship of an ornamental with the authentic fire of a culinary pepper. The 'Twilight' name captures exactly what makes it special: peppers that shift through a stunning palette of color as they mature, from deep purple and black to vibrant red and orange. It's the kind of plant that draws compliments from neighbors while delivering genuine heat in the kitchen, and its compact, upright habit means it thrives even in tight spaces or containers where taller varieties would struggle.
Common Uses
Numex Twilight peppers are eaten fresh when fully mature and red, offering a medium-hot bite suitable for salsa, hot sauce, and fresh preparations where you want both flavor and firepower. The striking color shift during growth makes them equally valuable as an ornamental plant on patios and in gardens, where they serve as conversation pieces before being harvested and used. Because they're open-pollinated and heirloom-quality, they're also favored by seed savers looking to preserve interesting genetic material year to year.
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 in a warm spot maintaining 70, 85°F. Peppers germinate slowly, so patience and consistent warmth are essential. Harden off transplants over 7, 10 days before moving them permanently outdoors.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60°F, ideally closer to 70°F for vigorous growth. Space plants 18 inches apart with 36 inches between rows. Water well at planting and provide afternoon shade for the first week if transplanting in peak summer heat.
Harvesting
Numex Twilight peppers can be harvested at the immature purple or black stage for ornamental effect, but they develop full flavor and heat once they ripen to red. Wait for peppers to turn completely red and feel firm to the touch for maximum Scoville heat and complex flavor. Harvest by cutting with scissors or pruning shears rather than pulling, which can damage branches. Continue harvesting throughout the season to encourage more flowering and production; plants typically produce prolifically from mid-summer until the first frost.
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
“Numex Twilight emerged from the breeding program at New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute, an institution with decades of expertise in pepper genetics and cultivation. This wasn't a random selection but a deliberate cross designed to give home gardeners access to the kind of dual-purpose pepper that combines visual spectacle with legitimate culinary heat. The 'NuMex' prefix signifies its New Mexico origins, reflecting the state's legendary place in American pepper culture and its commitment to developing varieties that would excel for both amateur and experienced growers.”