The Ancho Poblano pepper transforms your garden into a Mexican spice market, growing from glossy green poblanos into deeply flavored, chocolate-red ancho chiles when dried. These sturdy plants reach 36 inches tall and deliver their harvest in just 75 days from transplant, producing the essential ingredient for authentic mole and countless Mexican dishes. Why buy expensive dried anchos in plastic bags when you can grow ten times as many right in your garden?
18
Full Sun
High
9-11
36in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
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This pepper offers dual personality in one plant, serving as fresh poblano for chiles rellenos when green, then transforming into the smoky, sweet ancho chile when allowed to ripen red and dry. The plants handle heavy fruit loads well but benefit from staking to prevent toppling in late summer storms. Starting early is crucial since these peppers mature later than tomatoes, requiring warm soil and patient nurturing through their slow early growth phase.
Fresh green poblanos excel in chiles rellenos, salsas, and roasted pepper dishes, while the fully ripened red peppers become ancho chiles when dried, forming the foundation of complex mole sauces and adding deep, smoky sweetness to stews, marinades, and spice blends.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds 8-12 weeks before the last frost date, sowing quarter-inch deep in warm soil blocks or plug trays. Seeds require consistent heat to germinate and may take 10-14 days, so use heating mats or find warm spots like above the refrigerator. Once seedlings develop two sets of true leaves, transplant to 4-inch pots.
Wait until weather is fully settled, typically two weeks after tomato transplanting time, ensuring soil temperature stays above 65°F. Space plants 18 inches apart and consider using row covers initially to create a warm microclimate for faster establishment.
Harvest poblanos green for immediate use, or allow peppers to ripen fully to red, yellow, purple, or orange for maximum flavor and nutrients before drying into anchos. Picking green peppers increases total yield, but stopping green harvest allows the plant to focus energy on ripening remaining fruit. Store fresh peppers at 45-55°F with 95% humidity.
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