VegetablePepper
Jalapeno Purples Pepper
Jalapeno Purples Pepper is a heat-loving annual that flips the script on what you expect from a jalapeno. These plants produce larger peppers than traditional varieties, dressed in a striking purple hue that deepens as they mature, before eventually shifting to red when fully ripe. Ready to harvest in 70 to 79 days from transplant, they deliver medium heat (2,500 to 8,000 Scoville Heat Units) along with excellent yields. Growing 18 to 24 inches tall with an upright habit, they thrive across hardiness zones 4 through 13 and handle heat and drought with impressive resilience.
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
Low
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Highlights
The real draw here is the color. Larger than standard jalapenos and covered in deep purple skin that makes them as striking on the plant as they are on the plate, Jalapeno Purples command attention in any garden. They're open-pollinated, which means you can save seeds year after year, and their combination of heat tolerance, drought tolerance, and consistent high yields makes them practically bulletproof for both beginners and experienced growers. Deer leave them alone, heat doesn't slow them down, and they produce prolifically whether you're growing them in containers, raised beds, or in-ground plots.
Common Uses
These peppers deliver medium heat perfect for fresh slicing into salsas, nachos, and cheese poppers, where their color adds visual drama to dishes. They're excellent for pickling, smoking, or drying. Their size makes them particularly well-suited to stuffing, and the heat level sits in that sweet spot where they punch up a dish without overwhelming milder palates.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in warm soil (around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and keep consistently moist. Germination typically occurs within 7 to 10 days. Provide bright light once seedlings emerge.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings gradually over 7 to 10 days, then transplant outdoors after all frost danger has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 18 inches apart with 36 inches between rows. Transplants are typically ready 6 to 8 weeks after sowing.
Harvesting
Peppers can be harvested at the purple stage for a more ornamental presentation and slightly milder heat, or left on the plant to mature to red for fuller, deeper flavor and maximum heat. They reach full size at around 70 to 79 days from transplanting. Harvest by snipping or cutting peppers cleanly from the stem with a knife or pruners; pulling can damage branches. Regular harvesting encourages continued production throughout the season.
Pruning
Minimal pruning is needed for this upright-growing variety. Remove any dead or damaged branches as they appear, and pinch out the first flowers that form if you want to encourage bushier growth early in the season. As plants mature and begin setting fruit, let them grow naturally.
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)