VegetablePepper
Small Red Chili Pepper
Small Red Chili Pepper is a fiery, open-pollinated heirloom from the tropical Americas, bred for serious heat lovers and home gardeners alike. This upright annual grows 24-36 inches tall and produces peppers packed with 5,000 to 20,000 Scoville Heat Units, delivering medium heat that builds with each bite. Ready to harvest in 80-89 days from transplant, it thrives in full sun across hardiness zones 4-13, making it accessible whether you're gardening in cool climates or warm ones. Non-GMO and heirloom, this variety brings authentic chili pepper character to any garden plot, raised bed, or greenhouse.
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
36 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
36in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Small Red Chili Pepper earns its keep through genuine spice and remarkable adaptability. With 5,000 to 20,000 Scoville Heat Units, it delivers medium heat that's hot enough to matter but not so extreme that it overwhelms fresh cooking. Native to tropical regions but hardy in zones 4-13, this open-pollinated heirloom brings old-world flavor without the complexity of hybrid breeding. The short 80-89 day timeline means you'll move from transplant to harvest in under three months, and its upright growth habit keeps plants tidy and productive in confined spaces.
Common Uses
Small Red Chili Pepper excels in fresh culinary applications where you want genuine heat without overwhelming complexity. The high capsaicin content makes it ideal for salsas, hot sauces, and fresh chili preparations that demand authentic pepper character. It works beautifully dried for later use, maintaining its heat and flavor through storage. Many gardeners use it as a fresh garnish or ingredient in any recipe calling for hot peppers, from Asian stir-fries to Latin American cuisine.
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, allowing seedlings to mature before transplanting into the garden. Maintain warm temperatures (70-80°F) for best germination.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant outdoors after the last frost date once soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 50°F. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days before planting. Space plants 18 inches apart with 36 inches between rows.
Harvesting
Harvest peppers 80-89 days after transplanting when they turn from green to bright red, which indicates full maturity and maximum heat development. Cut peppers from the plant using scissors or pruners rather than pulling to avoid damaging branches. You can harvest green peppers earlier if needed, though the red stage delivers the full Scoville punch this variety is known for. Pick regularly to encourage continued production throughout the growing season.
Pruning
Small Red Chili Pepper's upright growth habit requires minimal pruning. Remove lower leaves as the plant develops to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure, and pinch back early flowering if you want to encourage bushier growth before allowing full fruiting.
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)
History & Origin
“Small Red Chili Pepper traces its roots to the tropical regions of the Americas, where capsicum peppers were first domesticated millennia ago. This open-pollinated heirloom variety carries forward that heritage as a non-GMO seed that gardeners can save year after year. The herbaceous plant is typically grown as an annual during the frost-free season in most climates, though its genetic background allows it to thrive across an unusually wide range of hardiness zones. As part of the broader Capsicum annuum family, Small Red Chili Pepper represents the continuation of a gardening tradition that connects modern growers directly to the pepper's original tropical homeland.”