Chilli Varieties

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Aji Limo (Capsicum annuum)

Aji Limo (Capsicum annuum)
Origins Peru (Seeds - Sea Spring Seeds)
A Peruvian specialty that is one of our milder habaneros. The fruit are often top-shaped, though this can vary, even on the same plant. They measure about 30 x 45 mm and have a glossy skin that looks as if it has been polished. When they are young, the fruit are a light yellow colour punctuated with large patches of lilac purple. As they mature, they turn to orange and finally red. The plants are not overly tall and so can be grown either in pots or the ground, though in both cases they will need support. A stunningly attractive plant that will lighten up any greenhouse or conservatory.

 

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Anaheim (Capsicum annuum)

Anaheim (Capsicum annuum) (Diary 2002) (Diary 2005)
Origins Mexico (Seeds – Simpsons Seeds)
Bushy plant can grow up to a metre in height with chillis about 20 cm long, medium to thick flesh, with a fresh green taste improved by charring, usually available in its green form, but can be left to ripen to red which is then a bit hotter, close relative to the New Mexico Chilli. Not too hot this green chilli so it can be roasted and stuffed, or dried and powdered in its red form.

 

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Antohi Romanian

Antohi Romanian (Capsicum annuum) (Diary 2002)
Origins Romania
Good frying pepper, about 16-20 cm long, these tapered pointed fruits ripen from a pale yellow to orange/red. Early fruiting with a heavy yield. Originating in Romania these sweet peppers are usually fried in a hot pan.

 

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Apache (Capsicum annuum)

Apache (Capsicum annuum) (Diary 2001)
Origins Unknown (Seeds – Simpsons Seeds)
The widely available apache makes a good dwarf pot plant for the patio or windowsill with a good crop of chillis all summer, plant reaches about 30-45 cm high with a good crop of green ripening to slightly wrinkled red chillis.

 

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Apricot (Capsicum chinense)

Apricot (Capsicum chinense)
Origins Unknown (Seeds - Sea Spring Seeds)
Sea Spring Seeds’ version of a mild habanero, Apricot is virtually heat-free. The elongated fruit are slightly-grooved and measure about 25 x 60 mm. They have an appealing crunchy texture and a wonderfully fresh, aromatic fragrance. As they mature the colour changes from a delicate lime green to a stunning salmon orange. The medium-sized plants are quite tidy and disciplined, and can be grown, with some support, either in pots, growbags or the ground.
Approximate heat level: 35,000 SHU

 

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Aurora (Capsicum annuum)

Aurora (Capsicum annuum) (Diary 2002)
Origins Unknown (Seeds – Simpsons Seeds)
Small colourful ornamental ideal for growing in a pot which reaches 30-45 cm high, slight purpling on some leaves with tapered upright fruit about 4 cm long, ripens from dark purple to orange to red.

 

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Bangalore Torpedo (Capsicum frutescens)

Bangalore Torpedo (Capsicum frutescens) (Diary 2001)
Origins India (Seeds – Simpsons Seeds)
Bushy plant can grow up to a metre in height,fairly prolific, these 7 cm long hot chillis will ripen from a lime green to a deep red and become twisted and hooked. Good for indian cooking with a clean hot flavour.

 

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Banana (Capsicum annuum)

Banana (Capsicum annuum) (Diary 2005)
Origins USA
Bushy plant can grow up to a metre in height with 15 cm long fruits, this crisp, thick fleshed, mild to medium hot chilli is very similar to the Hungarian wax chilli but slightly milder. Used in sauces or can be roasted and stuffed. Can be found pickled and therefore good as a snack.

 

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Beaver Dam (Capsicum annuum)

Beaver Dam (Capsicum annuum)
Origins Unknown (Seeds - Sea Spring Seeds)
A vegetable-type chilli producing mild, cone-shaped fruit that measure a large 70 x 135 mm. The flesh is thick and juicy, and the fruit change from green to red with maturity. Early to produce, the bushy, sprawling plants have weak branches that droop under the weight of the fruit. Nevertheless, they are well-suited to growing in large pots, though some support will be necessary.
Approximate heat level: mild

 

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Bellaforma (Capsicum chinense)

Bellaforma (Capsicum chinense)
Origins Unknown (Seeds - Sea Spring Seeds)
Originally from Tobago, this is a habanero that, at just 700 SHU, has only a touch of heat. The fairly tall plants yield masses of shiny, elongated chillies that measure about 25 x 60 mm and turn from light green to red as they mature. The fruit have a thick, juicy flesh, tender skin and a nice fruity aroma that make this variety a real winner – if you like the habanero flavour without the heat.
Approximate heat level: 700 SHU

 

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Bengle Naga (Capsicum chinense)

Bengle Naga (Capsicum chinense)
Origins Unknown (Seeds - Sea Spring Seeds)
Bengle Naga has wrinkled fruit that change from light green to red as they mature. The fruit have an elongated wedge shape and measure about 20 x 60 mm. Given this variety’s pedigree, the fruit deliver magnificently on the heat, reaching in excess of 900,000 SHU in 2011. Ranking among the hottest chillies in the world, it packs enough heat to challenge even the most hardcore thrill seekers.The plants can be quite tall and are better grown in the ground or large pots.
Approximate heat level: 732,000–923,000 SHU

 

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Bolivian Rainbow (Capsicum annuum)

Bolivian Rainbow (Capsicum annuum)
Origins Bolivia
Tear-drop shaped peppers turn from purple to yellow to orange to red with all colours present on the plant at the same time. Great container plant. Very prolific 2-3 foot plants have purple foliage and flowers and yield tiny, pointed 1 inch fruits.

 

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Bulgarian Carrot (Capsicum annuum)

Bulgarian Carrot (Capsicum annuum) (Diary 2001)
Origins Bulgaria (Seeds – Simpsons Seeds)
Stocky plant up to about a metre, good yields of 8 cm fruits, thick fleshed and fairly hot, colour and shape of a carrot. Good for pickling or roasting and stuffing.

 

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Bonda Ma Jacqeus (Capsicum chinense)

Bonda Ma Jacqeus (Capsicum chinense) (Diary 2009)
Origins Caribbean
Fairly tall up to nearly a metre in a pot, this West Indies, aromatic habanero chilli variety is very hot, about 5 cm long ripening from green to yellow.

 

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Calcutta (Capsicum frutescens)

Calcutta (Capsicum frutescens) (Diary 2009)
Origins India (Seeds – Simpsons Seeds)
Thin tall plant up to a metre, giving very flavourful but extremely hot 5 - 7 cm chillis, pale green pods maturing to red. Very fragrant and very hot used in Indian dishes.

 

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Caldero (Capsicum annumm)

Caldero (Capsicum annumm)
Origins Unknown (Seeds - Sea Spring Seeds)
Hybrid. Like fireworks on Guy Fawkes night, the fruit of Caldero put on a stunning display of colour, starting out a creamy yellow and changing to orange then red as they mature. The cone-shaped fruit measure about 2.5 cm wide by 8 cm long and are thick fleshed. The tidy, medium-sized plants are ideally suited to container growing when given some support. with their compact growth habit, they take up very little room in the greenhouse. This variety is as versatile as it is good looking, and cooks with a creative flare will certainly find a place for it in their kitchens. Put a few of the yellow fruit in a pico de gallo salsa along with some green jalapeño for a quirky mix of colours.

 

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Cayenne (Capsicum annuum)

Cayenne (Capsicum annuum)
Origins French Guyana
Bushy plant can grow up to a metre in height, fruits 4 to 6 inches long, these thin fleshed chillis are very widely available fresh in green or red depending if they've been ripened on the bush, has an acidic tart flavour. Used in chilli sauces but main use is its powdered form cayenne pepper. There are now a variety of sizes and colours of this popular chilli.

 

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Cayenne - Pencil (TSX0525) (Capsicum annumm)
Cayenne - Pencil (TSX0525) (Capsicum annumm)
Origins Unknown (Seeds - Sea Spring Seeds)
Hybrid. A standard cayenne-type chilli perfect for Indian cooking. The thin, pointed fruit are very uniform, measuring around 140mm long, and hang down from the plants like Christmas tree decorations. They turn from pale green to red as they mature and are medium hot. The upright, medium-tall plants can be very productive and are suited to growing, with some support, in large pots and grow bags as well as in the ground. (name still to be confirmed)

 

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Cheeky (Capsicum chinense)

Cheeky (Capsicum chinense)
Origins Africa (Seeds - Sea Spring Seeds)
Sea Spring Seeds selection from the Ghanaian land race kpakpo shito, the small, roundish fruit are about 20 mm in diameter and change from lime green to orange to red as they mature. They are very hot, and their deep lobes make them look somewhat like the cheeks of a bum, hence the name. The plants are a tidy bush and can grow unsupported, making them perfectly suited for small or large pots and grow bags.

 

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Charleston Hot (Capsicum annuum)

Charleston Hot (Capsicum annuum) (Diary 2004)
Origins USA (Seeds - Sea Spring Seeds)
Bred in the States, this chilli has been around since the 1990s. Though classified as a cayenne, presumably because of the thin-flesh and elongated shape, the very hot fruit have uncharacteristic blunt ends. Deeply-grooved and about 100 mm long, they are also very attractive as they ripen from pastel yellow to orange and eventually bright red. Distinguished by yellowish green leaves, the medium-sized plants are productive, and do well in large pots, growbags and in the ground.