Cayenne Picante/Hot Chili Seeds

Information: The cayenne chili pepper is one of the most common varieties of chili in the world and is a real classic on your spice rack. The variety originates from Latin America and is predominantly sold as `cayenne pepper` in our part of the world. However, the name can lead to some confusion as it doesn`t refer to (black) pepper as one might assume, but to powdered chili pepper.

The fruits of the cayenne picante chili plant are known for having very thin outer walls, vine-like serpentine growth and the characteristic fiery-smoky flavour. They are excellent for drying or for making a "ristra" where many peppers are tied together on a long piece of string.

Care: Germination temperature is between 22°C and 28°C (germination period: 6-20 days); it is therefore recommended to use a greenhouse and a heating mat. The plants need fresh, well-fertilised permeable soil and should not be left in standing water. They should be placed in a sunny, sheltered place with at least 6 hours of sunlight per day, if not more. Place the plants outside around 2 to 3 weeks after the last frost. When you plant the seedlings outdoors, take care to leave at least 30-40cm of space between each plant. The main harvest should take place after approximately 3 months` ripening time.

You can find plenty of useful tips for successfully growing chili plants in our Chili Cultivation Instructions and in the Chili Diary.