Jalafuego Hybrid Pepper Seeds

Days to Maturity: 70 from transplant

Here it is, the jalapeño lover's dream come true: an extra-fiery, extra-large, extra-prolific pepper that is easy to grow and absolutely delicious to eat. Jalafuego is the hottest jalapeño on the market today, and it's going to make all your spicy dishes that much more delicious.

This pepper gets its big yields from the superior disease resistance of its plant. Vigorous and unstoppable, this plant resists potato Y virus (races 0-2), bacterial leaf spot (races 1-3), and pepper mottle. What this means for you is dozens more healthy, big fruit on well-branched plants.

Such fruit it is. Jalafuego reaches 4 inches or more in length, with smooth skin and thick walls. This gives you an extra bite or two in every pepper. The skin eventually turns red if allowed to reach full maturity, but it can be picked green for full spicy kick, too. Great for canning and pickling, freezing and drying, and of course stuffing and eating fresh off the plant.

Despite their large size, Jalafuego peppers are quite crack-resistant. If the weather turns hot or you have to delay harvesting them for a short while, they hold up beautifully. They are simply more resistant to all kinds of adversity than most others. All this and great flavor, too.

Start seeds indoors or, in climate with short growing seasons, outdoors at least one week after last frost. If starting indoors, allow 7 to 10 weeks for the seeds to mature into seedlings large enough to transplant safely. Fertilize when the blooms appear, and water well. Fruit is most nutritious if allowed to ripen on the plant.