Padron peppers are a Spanish heirloom variety that brings surprising heat and character to the garden. These compact plants grow just 20 inches tall but pack personality into their modest frame, maturing in a swift 65 days. You'll harvest small, wrinkled peppers that start green and deepen as they mature, delivering the kind of peppers that Spanish cooks have relied on for generations. Hardy in zones 9-11, they thrive in full sun with moderate water and well-drained soil, making them accessible even to newer gardeners.
Full Sun
Moderate
9-11
20in H x 18in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Padron peppers mature remarkably fast for a hot pepper, reaching harvest in just 65 days from transplant. Their compact, bushy 20-inch plants fit easily into containers or small garden spaces, yet produce abundantly throughout the season. The small, wrinkled fruits develop from green to darker shades as they ripen, offering visual interest even as they develop their distinctive heat.
Padron peppers are primarily enjoyed fresh or lightly cooked, especially pan-roasted with olive oil and sea salt. Their small size and thin walls make them ideal for quick cooking methods where the skin blisters slightly but the flesh remains tender. They work beautifully as appetizers, tapas additions, or components in fresh salads.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Sow seeds indoors 8 weeks before your last frost date. Seeds require warmth to germinate successfully; maintain soil temperatures between 70-85°F. Germination typically occurs within 10-14 days under consistent heat.
Transplant seedlings outdoors once weather has settled and nighttime temperatures remain warm. Padrons will tolerate earlier transplanting than many pepper varieties but won't establish strong growth until soil and air warm significantly. Space plants 18 inches apart with 24 inches between rows in a location receiving full sun.
Harvest peppers when they reach full size but while still green, or allow them to mature to deeper colors for more developed flavor. Peppers develop the wrinkled texture characteristic of the variety as they mature. Pick consistently throughout the season to encourage continued production.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.