60 Seeds

For generations, the highly adaptable and early maturing Thin Cayenne Pepper plant has been a honorable producer of fine quality fruit, both in private gardens and commercial production. It is used widely throughout the world in a number of Cajun dishes, Mexican cuisines and even throughout Asia. This is a bushy plant with a slim fruit that grows 4-6 inches long. This pepper starts out green and eventually ripens to a red color. The Thin Cayenne Pepper is an annual, warm season plant.

It is known as the bird pepper, cow-horn pepper, Guinea spice, and mostly as the "red hot chili pepper," only to name a few. As its most popular name suggests, this is a very hot pepper. It earned some of its names from the city Cayenne, which is the capital city of French Guiana. The peppers are usually dried and ground into a hot spice that is applied to food.

This is a Perennial plant that grows best over a 3 year period or more. The Thin Cayenne Pepper plant tend to grow medium-tall and erect-like at 1.98 feet. Though it has been named after a French city, it is most likely a native of Mexico. It needs little care while growing and needs little maintenance, making this an easy plant to grow. The fruit can be ready to harvest within 70-80 days of planting its seeds, and will be continual until the first frost of the fall or early winter seasons.

It can be effected by the flea beetle and aphids. Using row covers and/or Eco-Friendly pesticides can prevent these pests from the plants. Phytophthora Root Rot, also known as Chile wilt, is caused by a soil fungus. This is a serious problem for pepper growers worldwide, but you can find it more so in "furrow-irrigated" fields in the southwestern parts of the U.S., and can take effect in the late summer to early fall. Symptoms can be severe wilting, causing the plant to collapse and die. Soil-born fungi can also cause seedlings to die before the plant breaks through the soil. For an entire list of issues, please visit this link.

Sowing The Seed

Peppers are best started indoors, in a controlled environment, 6 to 8 weeks prior to the last frost. To prevent root shock, sow your seeds in peat pots, at a depth of 1/4” under topsoil. Transplant when the weather is warm and the plants are about 1 foot tall. Stakes can be used to support your young plants, to ensure proper growth. Check below for additional info on spacing & growth habits.

Growing Conditions

Pepper plants will thrive in the heat of summer, so they should receive full sunlight for the majority of the day, with temperatures of at least 75F or more. A soil that is rich in organic matter is best, with a pH level of at least 6.2 and 7.0. Also make sure that your sowing medium is well drained, or your plants can wilt due to being waterlogged. Water your pepper seeds daily to provide them with ample amounts of moisture until germination has occurred.

Germination & Growth

Pepper seeds typically take anywhere between 14 to 28 days to germinate. After your seedlings start to grow, they will mature to an estimated height of roughly 24 to 30 inches tall. On average, Pepper plants can be spaced 18 to 24 inches apart from one another, in rows spaced 18 inches apart. These plants do very well when grown directly in the garden, or in large pots and containers as well.