SPERLI Chili Habanero Orange

Orange habanero fruits after white flowers: an open-pollinated chilli for raised beds and tubs, harvested from August to October – seed for around 12 plants.

The story

Origins & history

Habanero means “the one from Havana” – the name recalls Cuba, although these chillies are now grown mainly on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Like all chillies it comes from the Americas, where people have cultivated hot pods for thousands of years.

Uses

Habaneros are among the very hot chillies; used sparingly they season salsas, sauces and marinades. Wear gloves when cutting them and keep your hands away from your eyes. In a tub, the bright orange fruits adorn any sunny spot.

Meaning

In 1912 the American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville devised a method of measuring the heat of chillies. His Scoville scale is still the standard today – and the habanero sits high up on it.

A thought for giving

Birds do not feel the heat of chillies; they eat the fruits and carry the seeds far and wide. What is too much for some is a gift to others.

At a glance

• Contents: 1 packet for approx. 12 plants
• Botanical name: Capsicum annuum
• Life cycle: annual
• Position: sunny
• Suitable for containers: yes (raised bed, container)
• Sow indoors: February–April
• Harvest: August–October
• Sowing depth: 0.5–1 cm
• Germination temperature: 20–25 °C
• Germination time: 14–21 days
• Plant spacing: 40 cm
• Row spacing: 50 cm
• Seed type: loose seed

How to sow

1. Start indoors from February to April, in seed compost in the Anzuchthaus PRO24 propagator.
2. Sow seeds 0.5–1 cm deep; at 20–25 °C they germinate in 14–21 days.
3. Keep the seedlings bright and warm until there is no more risk of cold outdoors.
4. From mid-May, plant in full sun in raised beds or tubs with Chili- & Paprikaerde (chilli and pepper compost), spacing 40 × 50 cm.

Delivery time: 1–2 weeks. Manufacturer: SPERLI GmbH. Seeds, not a plant – the image shows the original packet.

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