Chilli & pepper seeds – more info
In the roulette of the usually mild padron pepper to the dizzyingly spicy chilli 'Bhut Jolokia Fiery Furnace', there’s a huge range of flavour to be found in chilli peppers grown from seed. Suttons stock sweet chilli peppers that add delicious colour to your plate without the heat. Sort through our recommendations below and let us help you find the right variety without leaving it to chance!
Which chilli seeds are the hottest?
Pepper Chilli 'Bhut Jolokia Fiery Furnace' measures at 1,000,000 units on the Scoville scale! This is a variety for extreme spice lovers only. Handle the orangey red pods with gloves. Less incendiary but still packing a punch, pepper chilli 'Hot Thai' measures at 50,000 to 70,000 on the Scoville scale. These plants are heavy croppers producing up to 200 small bright red pods per plant.
Which chilli pepper seeds are the sweetest?
Pepper F1 'Cardinal (Purple)' is delightfully sweet. It has the highest concentration of anthocyanins and vitamins when the pods are a deep purple, just before they turn red. Grow this delicious pepper in a polytunnel or greenhouse for the best fruiting results.
Best chilli seeds for flavour
Chilli peppers offer some very complex flavours that can transform a dish. Pepper sweet 'Midas' is the result of a cross between a jalapeno and a sweet pepper, so it has very light heat that can really liven a raw salad. For lemon notes choose 'Peruvian Lemon Drop' to add to chutneys. For rich, smoky overtones and a strong heat that transforms savoury stew, grow a chilli ‘Chocolate Habenero’.
Find out more about cultivating these spicy delights at our 'How to grow chillies' article, and get some fantastic tips in the chilli growing expert advice article comprised of helpful tips from expert gardeners.
