A Review of the Best Varieties of Red Hot Peppers

Hot peppers are a wonderful culinary seasoning in the cuisines of many cultures. Small bushes strewn with them make an interesting decorative element.

The plant is not limited to one variety; there are several types with tastes of varying degrees of spiciness.

Humans first used the crop 6,000 years ago in what is now Bolivia. Columbus brought hot peppers to Europe. Their fruits are typically spherical or elongated, depending on the variety. They have a spicy aroma. The vegetable's spiciness comes from its seeds and gills. Below, we'll discuss the most popular hot pepper varieties among gardeners.

Early varieties

Adjika

A pepper with tall bushes up to 1.5 meters and large fruits weighing about 90 grams. The massive, spreading plants require staking. The flesh of the fruits is fleshy, red, similar to bell peppers. The pods are cone-shaped, pleasantly fragrant, and quite spicy.

A fiery bouquet

One of the most productive hot peppers. It produces abundantly both in greenhouses and in the open ground. The bush has a strong crown, reaching a height of 0.5 m. The pod is approximately 12 cm long. Each fruit weighs 25 grams. The pulp has a pleasant aroma and is very spicy.

Miracle of the Moscow Region

The fruits of this variety are not very bitter, similar in flavor to bell peppers. They have a pleasant aroma. The flesh is approximately 2 mm thick. The bushes are tall, medium-spreading, and the foliage is dense. They typically produce numerous pods up to 25 cm long. This variety is characterized by a high yield: 3.9 kg/sq. m.

Medium grades

Astrakhan 147

It's in high demand on the market. Its flexibility and resilience make it ideal for open ground cultivation. It thrives best in southern Russia, but gardeners in central Russia also often reap a high-quality harvest. The fruits ripen in 122 days, are medium-sized, and have a spicy flavor.

Ram's horn

A semi-hot pepper. It makes a good preserve. It is often grown commercially in large greenhouses. In open ground, this variety bears fruit in 140-150 days. The plant is compact and short, with medium-sized fruits.

Cayenne bitters

A world-famous and very common variety. Widely used in cooking as a spice. When people talk about chili peppers, they usually mean the Cayenne pepper. It's intensely hot and has a piquant aroma. The fruits are large, long, and ripen early—after 112 days.

Late varieties

Vizier

The fruits of this pepper take a long time to form, taking 150 days. However, this variety bears fruit well and is considered a high-yielding variety. The peppers have a turban-shaped form, which is extremely rare. This variety can be grown in normal conditions and is resistant to most diseases. The flesh is moderately spicy. The bushes require trellis support. The peppers are suitable for pickling and make a beautiful table decoration.

Margelansky

It adapts well to temperate climates. It grows as a semi-standard, not very spreading bush, reaching 60 cm in height. Ripe fruits are red, 14 cm long, and weigh 10 grams. They are distinguished by their long, conical shape and sharp flesh. This is a productive, disease-resistant variety.

Tabasco

A tall plant, the bushes reach 1.5 meters. Resistant to common diseases. It bears fruit vigorously, producing numerous peppers on each plant. The fruits are small: 5 cm long and 6 mm in diameter. The color changes depending on the stage of ripening. Initially green, it turns yellow, and finally bright red. The pepper is not overly hot. It has a spicy, smoky aroma. This variety is used to make the well-known Tabasco sauce.

How to grow correctly?

Compact varieties of red hot pepper can be grown successfully at home.

Garden beds are also suitable for this vegetable, just like for sweet varieties. The first step is to prepare the seedlings. This should be done in February. Seeds are sown for seedlings by mid-March.

Planting material is usually pre-treated with a nutrient solution, so it doesn't require soaking or disinfection. However, if the seeds aren't store-bought, these procedures are essential.

When preparing seedlings, keep in mind that all nightshades are very sensitive to transplanting. Therefore, it's best to place 2 or 3 seeds in individual pots. As soon as shoots emerge, remove any unhealthy seedlings.

Young plants are transplanted into an open bed or greenhouse at least two months after germination. This procedure is carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 25 x 25 cm. When planting young seedlings in open ground, they are covered with plastic film overnight.

Red pepper is cared for as follows:

1. Water regularly with warm water. Avoid over- or under-watering. Drip irrigation is best.
2. Once or twice a month, feed with any universal composition.

The hot pepper harvest depends on the variety, but is usually not completed before the end of July.

The fruits are cut from the bushes so that the plant is not damaged.

Red peppers are biennial crops, so there's no need to uproot them after harvest. The plants are carefully trimmed, dug up, and stored for the winter in a cool place, such as a basement. In late winter or early spring, seedlings are grown, which will be planted in their main location in May.

Reviews

What do gardeners say? Which hot pepper varieties do they prefer? Let's take a look at one of the gardening forums:

"I'm a huge fan of hot peppers. They're so delicious! Just as good as sweet ones. I first got to know them better in 2015, and before that, I planted whatever I could find. I mostly grew Astrakhan peppers, a popular jarred variety that pairs well with cucumbers. A friend recently taught me how to make a seasoning out of hot peppers. By the end of the season, I'd gathered up everything that had grown and canned it. They were all eaten very quickly.

In 2015, I already had about 30 plants of the following varieties: Miracle of the Moscow Region, Elephant's Trunk, and Miracle of the Moscow Region. These are from store-bought varieties. I've made two seasonings, marinades, and pickles from them. Now I'm looking for new varieties, preferably mildly or semi-hot; they have a pleasant flavor. I just ordered 14 peppers online and am really looking forward to them. I'm also looking for Red Fat Man, Mother-in-Law's Tongue, Ram's Horn, and Double Abundance.

"Hot peppers are a curious thing, and you can make so many interesting things out of them. I think they're even better than sweet peppers in some ways. They're easy to grow and use." (Maria)

"I was looking for popular chili varieties in St. Petersburg stores, but unfortunately, I didn't find any. I only found Falcon's Beak and Chinese Dragon, one with long berries, the other with short ones. The packaging says they're very hot. But I also saw this information online: gardeners like to buy jalapeños and cayenne peppers, which they let ripen if necessary, collect the seeds, and then grow. But the peppers at Lenta are so expensive, I can't afford them." (Marta)

What are the benefits of red chili?

The substances contained in this vegetable have a positive effect on all systems of the human body. It contains 40 vitamins, 20 minerals, 20 enzymes, and several types of essential oils and esters.

Hot pepper fruits contain capsaicin, a natural antitumor alkaloid not commonly found in nature. The effects of this substance have been scientifically proven, which is why it is included in various medicinal preparations.

Red pepper is an important component of painkillers. It helps combat attacks when eaten fresh. Doctors recommend eating bitter peppers for those with musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, and chest conditions.

It also helps with runny noses, bleeding, obesity, and improves skin condition. It is included in preparations for strengthening hair and stimulating its growth.

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However, hot red pepper is not recommended for fresh consumption by those who suffer from digestive diseases.

Topical use of products containing this component should prevent allergic reactions. To do this, apply a small amount of the product to the skin. If redness or burning occurs, discontinue use.

Having examined the characteristics of the best red pepper, its properties, and the most popular varieties, we can conclude: this is an amazing, easily accessible vegetable with diverse uses. Its benefits are numerous, and it's easy to grow.