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Chinese Five Color Pepper
Capsicum annuum
A colorful ornamental and edible hot pepper. The conical peppers grow to about 1-2" and are best known for their multiple color changes as they ripen through the season. Colors include purple, red, yellow, orange, white and various shades in between. Plants also have purple tinted foliage which contrasts so beautifully with the fruits. Flavor is quite hot and the peppers can be used just as any hot pepper.
Seed Availability
Seeds are not available for the Chinese Five Color Pepper. Please visit our seed store to view current selections. Seeds were last available in February 2018.
Days to Maturity
80-90 Days
Heat Level
Hot.
Origin
China
Germination Info
Start seeds in small containers from 8-10 weeks prior to the last frost date. Plant seeds approximately 1/4-1/2" deep in moist, well drained potting soil. Most standard soil mixes are suitable for pepper seeds. Soil temperature must be kept at 75-90F for proper germination. Cool soil, particularly at night can inhibit or significantly delay germination. To keep soil temperature warm, start seeds indoors, in a greenhouse and/or use a seed starting heat mat. Keep soil moderately moist, though not overly, dripping wet. Water soil when the soil surface just begins to dry. Allow proper air circulation for containers.
Optionally, seeds can be dipped in a dilute hydrogen peroxide mix (1 tsp hydrogen peroxide per cup water) for one minute to disinfect seeds prior to planting. If your soil or seed sprouting setup is susceptible to mold growth this can be useful to kill mold spores.
Once seedlings have sprouted, keep in small containers until a few sets of leaves have developed. Transplant to larger containers or outdoors. If transplanting outdoors, make sure to harden off seedlings by exposing them to only filtered sunlight for up to 1-2 weeks. Thin plants to 3-4 ft and rows to 6-10 ft.
Estimated germination time under optimal conditions: 2-6 weeks