Rocoto chillies are one of the most impressive when in full fruit but grow very large and take a long time to mature. Chilli Pepper ‘Scallywag’ defies tradition by being the earliest to ripen, as well as one of the most compact and perennial. Plants offer cascading beauty and an abundance of fiery red chillies with a distinctive appearance.
Purple flowers develop into brilliant red, glossy fruits that resemble mini bell peppers, with thick, juicy flesh and unusual black seeds. At 80,000 SHU, this is a hot chilli and its juiciness means that its best used fresh. It makes delicious salsas and in South America the fleshy fruits are traditionally stuffed with meat or cheese and baked. Take care when slicing these very juicy fruits as they can spurt chilli juice.
Plants can be successfully overwintered. Simply move them to a frost-free conservatory or lean-to, keep them reasonably dry, and they’ll burst back to life in spring. Height: 60cm (24in). Spread: 45cm (18in).
Sowing Information
Sow Chilli Pepper seeds on the surface of a good, free-draining, damp, seed sowing mix and cover with a fine sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Place seed trays in a propagator at a temperature of 18-20C (64-68F) for up to 14 days. Do not exclude light as this helps germination.
When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant into individual 7.5cm (3”) pots of compost. When plants are well grown and all risk of frost has passed, transplant them into grow bags and containers, or plant them in well prepared beds of fertile, moist, well drained soil in a sunny position at a spacing of 45cm (18”) apart. Chilli peppers may be grown undercover in a greenhouse or polytunnel, or grown outdoors in a sheltered position in full sun. When growing chilli peppers outdoors, gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over a period of 7 to 10 days prior to transplanting them.
