Fresno Pepper Seeds

Days to Maturity: 75 from transplant

If you grow only one hot pepper this year, consider making it Fresno. This mildly hot (5,000 to 10,000 Scovilles) pepper is a very heavy producer, with consistently glossy, high-quality fruit. It needs little water during the growth season compared with many others, and you can tailor its heat level by picking it green for mildest flavor, deep red for hottest, and orange for a happy medium.

Fresno was introduced in 1952 by Clarence Brown, and was immediately recognized as a heavy producer of top-quality fruit. It is not suitable for drying into spice, but is ideal for eating fresh, stuffing, canning, pickling, frying, sauteing, and more. It looks as good as it tastes, measuring just 2 inches long and about an inch in diameter across the shoulders, with a high gloss and smooth tapered shape.

Also known as Chile Caribe or Chile Cera, Fresno peppers are frequently mistaken for Jalapeño, but have a more complex flavor. Cooking brings out a smokiness in the flesh that is very tasty. And chances are you'll have plenty of peppers to experiment with, because these 24- to 30-inch plants are well-branched and packed with fruit.