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Paper Lantern Habanero Pepper
Capsicum chinense
One of the easier to grow and earlier maturing habanero's. Fruits are distinctly elongated, growing to 3", with a pendant, diamond-like shape. The fruits ripen from lime green to brilliant red and are very hot to the taste, similar to standard habanero's. The plants are somewhat lower growing, common amongst chinense types and typically grow to 2 feet. They are also known to be heavy yielders of fruit.
Seed Availability
Seeds are now available at our seed store.
Days to Maturity
90 days.
Heat Level
Very hot.
Origin
Unknown.
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 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: The Paper Lantern Habanero is usually slower to germinate than other habanero varieties, 4-10 weeks