Alresford Chilli Festival Market Programme 2020

Al resford Pi g s Associ a ti on presen ts. . .

A L R E S F O R D

C H I LLI F E S TI VAL MARKE T

Over 90 varieties of Chilli plants available to buy with strengths from timid to top­blowing! Take home the legendary Carolina Reaper, the World's Hottest Chilli ­ 440 times stronger than a Jalopeno!

Plus over 20 varieties of peppers plus various chilli­flavoured local produce including chocolate, chilli oil and more!

Saturday July 11th 2020 10:00am - 4:00pm

Arlebury Park, Alresford

(Limited parking on the day) Social Distancing Measures Will Be In Place

All Proceeds Go To Worthy Local Causes

Selling plants and the idea behind the Alresford Chilli Festival Market I have been living in Alresford for about 10 years so I guess I’m not strictly a local to some. I was actually born and raised in Winchester but used to come to Alresford in my late teens and early twenties. This seems about 150 years ago some days!

When I hit 40 I started growing fruit and veg. Maybe its an age thing but I found it really helped with the anxiety and depression I had been struggling with for a while. Then, after getting help and starting to slowly feel better about myself, Alex Tolfree the lockdown came. ‘Great this is all I need’ I thought to myself. Actually the words were a bit more savoury but you get the idea. My business suffered like many businesses did (and still continue to suffer) so I needed something to do. Something to focus on.

Around this time the Alresford Pigs Association who I had joined some years ago, formed a sub­committee to focus specifically on emergency fundraising during the Covid­19 crisis. I jumped at the chance of being part of this group, to find ways of raising funds as all our usual fundraising for the year had been wiped out.

I'm not sure everyone was thrilled I was on the committee. I can be a little outspoken ­ a ‘character’ I guess I'm labelled but it's all in good fun and rather expected when you're a Pig! We were all very concerned about what effects the virus was going to have on the town and the amount of people that would need our help over the coming months and even years.

Right off the bat, with the help of my team at Winchester Wood Floors, I set out to make about 45 timber chopping boards that we thought people would like.

They did and we raised over £1,000 pretty quickly which was immensely fulfilling but I needed to do more.

I spoke to the management of the allotments, the Town council and Merv Smith of Stoke Valley Watercress and began growing veg plants and selling them on a table outside the allotments. Merv was extremely helpful and so were many of the allotment holders so a HUGE thank you to them! Merv was dropping off his lovely watercress every morning for free and I was growing, collecting and

delivering plants like it was going out of fashion. It was so lovely to see and speak to so many local people I had never met and see the smiles and excitement on the childrens faces as they chose plants to grow. Getting sent pictures of peoples plants growing has been really touching.

While all this was going on I already had a lot of chilli plants growing which ive enjoyed growing for the past few years and had in the back of my mind that I would sell some and raise some money for the Pigs. We discussed this with the fund­raising committee and the idea of the Alresford Chilli Festival Market was born!

Merv offered me a large part of his poly tunnel and I went full steam ahead growing, scrounging and buying seedlings from a local grower. I hadn’t actually realised quite how much time would go into this and I often found myself ‘potting on’ until late into the evening.

I have now grown over 90 chilli plant varieties, with over 500 plants to sell on the day. It has been a massive learning curve dealing with that amount of plants, combined with our fluctuating weather and getting rid of pests in the most ecological friendly way.

As I said I have only been growing chillies for a few years so please bear with my if you have questions. I have learnt a lot but I am by no means an expert – I just have a passion for chillies that these weird times have allowed me to share with you.

On behalf of the Pigs I wish a happy, healthy life to you and your families and I hope you enjoy your plants in the knowledge that buying one will directly help someone, somewhere in or around Alresford Alex Tolfree Alresford Pig, Chief Chilli Grower and silly comment maker MD of Winchester Wood Floors (based in Alresford) Special thanks to my long­suffering wife, Frances Tolfree for all her help

Who Are The Alresford Pigs?

It’s a very good question, and with so many newcomers to Alresford over the past few years it’s one worth answering.

The Alresford Pigs Association started in the 1970s when a number of locals decided that they wanted to provide financial help for people in the town who needed it. Since then hundreds of people and organisations have benefited from donations and support.

We raise money by organising or contributing to community events such as: • Taking entry fees, manning the gates & acting as security support at the Alresford Show • Organising traffic control at the annual Watercress Festival • Organising the bi­annual Duck Race • Working with the Alresford Chamber of Commerce to erect, maintain and remove the town's spectacular Christmas trees and lights • Working with the Alresford Tree Committee to organise the arrival of Father Christmas We consider any request for financial support from within the town to local clubs, organisations, individuals and good causes – relying upon the local community to inform us where our help is required.It is impossible to list all of the requests for help we have supported down the years, but these include: • Organisations such as the scouts, guides, sports & youth groups • Local schools for specific projects • School children unable to pay for school trips • Single families needing white goods • Families who need support that cannot be provided by other services • Mobility scooters – we have our own fleet!

• Park benches • Senior residents events and activities The Pigs are relatively small in number, usually comprising 30­35 members all of whom either live or work in the town. With an emphasis upon participation & fun we welcome new members, with the membership process started by recommendation from any one of our existing members.

We are always seeking needy causes to support so do you need our help or do you think YOU can help?

Email us: info@alresfordpigs.org Phone us: 01962 658961

Why Does Alresford Need The Pigs?

It’s one thing having a group of individuals who raise money and give their time and expertise to help out at local events and so forth, but sometimes people ask why Alresford, a beautiful, affluent market town needs a charity to help people financially within it.

‘If you live in Alresford, surely you don’t need help with money do you?’ they say.

On the contrary, you would be amazed how many people who through change of circumstance or just plain bad luck suddenly find themselves in dire need of assistance. From the young who want to take part in a potentially life­changing trip with the school or sports club but cannot afford the full cost, to the elderly who have worked all their lives but suffer increasingly poor health and find their savings aren’t enough for a powered wheelchair, specialist bed or other equipment needed to give them some independence, comfort and quality of life.

In­between there are families who suffer the tragedy of an unexpected death or incapacity resulting in loss of earnings, which these days if only for a few months can leave people desperate for even the basics needed to live. People who you may walk past on the way into town, never knowing that their life has recently been sent into turmoil.

If you live in Alresford, there’s a very good chance that over the past 45 years, someone living less than two streets away from you has received help from us.

More importantly there are still more who also need help. We’re happy to provide that help, we just need your support. If you think you can help us to do that, financially or otherwise please get in touch.

"I cannot believe that you helped me or you even existed. My counselling sessions are starting to make a difference."

Local Resident "Thank you so much for sorting out our new carpets it has completely transformed our dull flat.....you guys are amazing."

Local Family "A very big thank you to the Alresford Pigs for your generous donation that paid for the coach to take us to Hayling Island. We all enjoyed our lunch at the Sinah Warren Hotel and walked in the lovely gardens. We could not have made it without you."

Senior Citizens Lunch Club "Thank you all so very much. I will send photos of the holiday and [recipient] in his new wheelchair with a video. You are all amazing!"

Local Family "Just to say a very big thank you for your kind donation towards our Summer Lunch, everyone had a lovely time."

Local Sheltered Housing Organisation

How To Grow Chillis and Peppers Grow Inside or Outside?

The milder the chilli, the better it will cope with the cooler conditions outside. The crop will be reduced outside, and often be later than if it is grown under glass (from August onwards). Greenhouses are essential for growing nagas.

How Big A Pot Does It Need?

You should repot the plant into a 5L­10L, but if you choose a larger pot size, then do it in stages or the plant will struggle to adapt. Smaller growing plants will be indicated on the label and can be grown in pots from 2L onwards, but keeping them in smaller pots will ensure they remain as dwarf plants.

How do I Feed My Chilli Plants?

We recommend ‘Chilli Focus’ chilli food for all peppers and chillies How Big Will My Plant Grow?

The plants will generally grow between 2­3ft tall from soil level (smaller plants are up to 18” tall), and spread up to 2ft across, but if you give them a larger pot, and feed the regularly, they can grow bigger than this.

Outdoor grown plants will be smaller than those grown under glass.

When Can I Pick The Chillis?

The fruit can be picked at any size and colour, and the earlier they are picked, the milder they will be. Most chillies start out green, except the purple varieties, which will eventually turn red as their final colour. The final colour will be shown on their label, and some will change through a variety of colours as they ripen.

Hot or Not? Please don’t be scared of our hotter chillies, they won’t bite! Just use fewer of them, or pick them before they fully ripen to achieve the same heat in your meals, but remember to wash your hands after preparing them.

Growing Naga Chillis • The superhot chillies (in excess of 500,000 SHU) are known by numerous names, the most well known being Naga, Ghost and Bhut Jolokia. We refer to them as nagas, but include all superhots in that grouping.

• Nagas are not a chilli for beginners, in terms of either taste or growing them. Most of them originate from the hot regions, and consequently they need a hot environment to grow successfully. In the UK, you will need a greenhouse or polytunnel to have any chance of success.

• The plants you buy from us will have been started in a heated propagator, and then grown on using SunBlaster lights, and regularly fed with Chilli Focus plant food. By the time they reach you, they will be used to an unheated, frost­free, sunny greenhouse. You should aim to replicate these conditions at home.

• Re­pot the chilli when there are roots emerging through the holes in the bottom of the pot, and use a good quality compost. The pot size should be 10L, or bigger if you have the space in your greenhouse or polytunnel, as the size of the pot will influence how big the plant grows.

• Your plants will need regular feeding, and we recommend using Chilli Focus (available from us today). When feeding the plants, follow the instructions on the plant food bottle / pack for frequency and amount.

• The plants will need support with canes or growing cages to prevent them collapsing under their own weight.

• We do not advise saving seed from these plants as they are not grown under isolation conditions, and while the fruit will be the named variety, the seeds harvested are likely to be a crossed with any of the ‘000s of varieties of pepper or chilli we grow in our greenhouse.

Peppers Pepper fruits come in all sizes and shapes, and they generally start off green and ripen to their final colours as the season progresses.

Sweet Bell Peppers The plants will generally be about the same size, up to 2ft wide, 3ft high.

The ‘bell’ varieties come in all sizes from the bite­sized mini­bell series to the standard sized ones. ­ Zulu – purple, almost black fruit ­ Lilac Bell – purple fruits ­ Midnight Dreams – purple to black fruit ­ Chocolate Beauty – chocolate brown coloured fruits ­ Liberty Belle – yellow fruit ­ Californian Wonder Gold – yellow fruit ­ Standard Bell Pepper – Orange fruit ­ Keystone – Red fruit ­ Californian Wonder – red fruit ­ Asti – red fruit ­ Pimento Sweet Mini Bell – red fruit ­ Yolo Wonder – red fruits ­ Robertina – red fruit ­ Oda – gorgeous plum purple ­ Diamond White – pale yellow fruit ­ Keage – White fruits Peppers The plants will generally be about the same size, up to 2ft wide, 3ft high.

Pepper fruits come in all sizes and shapes, and they generally start off green and ripen to their final colours as the season progresses.

Long Sweet Peppers These are the ‘bullhorn’ and pointed varieties that are becoming more widely available in supermarkets, but at premium prices. They can be used just the same as any regular bell pepper but are particularly suited to stuffing. ­ ­ ­ ­

Golden Greek – pale yellow, ripening to red Mira – semi­pointed white fruits Hungarian Sweet Wax – pointed red fruits Semorah – red fruits

The Chilli Directory Your invaluable guide to all the Chilli's available to buy on the day.

The Scoville Scale and Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) were named for scientist Wilbur Scoville in 1912 for measuring a chili pepper’s pungency and heat.

The measurements are divided into multiples of 100. Note that 1 part per 1,000,000 dilutions of water is rated at 1.5 Scoville Units. Pure capsaicin, the stuff that makes chili peppers hot, is rated between 15 – 16,000,000 Scoville heat units. This is incredibly HOT.

01 ­ Biquinho Red

Small, teardrop red fruits SHU 500­1,000

A fruity, sweet­flavoured Brazilian chilli that is known by several names Chupetinho and Biquinho, but others include pimenta de bico, Pearl Peppers The bright red 1 inch pods taper to a point like an inverted teardrop. The pepper has the distinctive smoky flavour like other members of this species, but also a rich fruitiness that is enhanced by sugar or sweet­and­sour marinades. It also makes the perfect garnish for barbecues and pickles.

02 ­ Biquinho Yellow

Small, round, very mild fruits SHU 400

Beautiful, teardrop­shaped fruit that ripen from a pale green to a stunning bright yellow. The fruit are small (only 1.2 x 2.0cm in size), very very mild and beautiful. Add a wonderful fruity flavour and a crunchy texture, and you have the perfect snack for eating out­of­hand. All this on tidy, bushy plants that, for the most part, behave themselves. Though they do better in large pots, they can be grown in 1­2 litre pots.

The fruit are great in salads and stews. Thrown in whole, they can act as an intense "flavour bomb"! And if you like preserving produce, you can pickle these chillies whole for using all­year­round.

03 ­ Biquinho White

Small, round very mild white fruits SHU 1,000

The Biquinho White as of 2018 is a new variant of the Biquinho chilli also known as Chupetinho or Sweety Drops. Like the Yellow it has very low mild heat.

They ripen from green to pearl white. Sometimes yellowish white. They are very sweet with citrus flavour tones.

They will grow just over 3 feet tall.

04 ­ Joker

Tiny red fruits with NO HEAT SHU 0 These short, compact plants produce dozens of thin, elongated fruits with pointed tips. It is a fantastic ornamental chilli without the heat.

Long red fruits – semi­hot SHU 800

88 ­ Palivec

This is a long 'goats horn' style chilli, which starts out pale green and ripens to a dark red. It is unusually productive, making loads of peppers with a good flavour.

Plants are about 2ft tall and a foot wide.

Because it isn’t stupidly hot, you can actually cook with it without worrying that you will overdo things, and as the heat is mostly concentrated in the seeds, and you can easily adjust its bite by leaving some of them out (or putting them all in if you prefer!)

Zero heat, looks like a Jalapeno!

SHU­0

05 ­ Nadapeno

A great choice for those who want the jalapeno flavor, but without the heat.

This variety was bred to have no heat, yet keep the flavor and appearance of traditional jalapenos ­ no gloves needed for chopping or slicing!

Attractive fruits are 3" long, ripen from green to red and are great for fresh use, stuffing and roasting. Sturdy plants produce heavy yields.

Long, wide fruits with mild heat SHU 1,000­5,000

51 ­ Caloro

This is a variant of the popular Hot Banana.

Caloro fruits are 10cm long by 6cm wide, milder, have thick walls, and turn from green to bright yellow when mature.

Plants bear heavily and continuously on 24­36 inch plants, with good foliage.

These will do best indoors or in a greenhouse.

Medium­size mild red fruits SHU 5000

06 ­ Cyklon

The Cyklon chilli plant will grow up to 60cm tall, producing 10cm long tapered pods that mature from an emerald green to a deep red.

The fruits are an excellent choice to use for salsa and adding a crunch to salads.

07 ­ Explosive Ember

Small / dwarf plant – mild SHU 3000

Very pretty ornamental pepper which ripens from purple to pink, to red in shades of different colors in between.

Looks great when maturing.

Not as hot as many other ornamental peppers. Very compact plant.

08 ­ Mulato Isleno

Giant but mild!

SHU 100­1,500

Mulato Isleno is a heart­shaped chilli pepper. It tastes slightly sweeter than some.

The peppers color from green to dark chocolate brown after about 85 to 95 days. The plants will grow to 80 cm in height.

The peppers can be used in both the immature and the mature stage.

Excellent for salsa, roasting and stuffing.

09 ­ Numex Centennial

Small, mild, dwarf plant SHU 1,000­1,500

This was the first truly ornamental variety bred by the New Mexico State University intended for growing in small containers.

It has purple flowers and purple foliage. The upright hot fruits, ¾” long by ½” wide, are purple, then ripen to yellow, orange, and finally red.

Happiest in a greenhouse, conservatory or warm windowsill.

Fruits up to a foot long with a good heat SHU 1,000­2000

89 ­ Ohnivec

This is undoubtedly the biggest hot chilli we have ever had ­ loaded with fruit, almost a foot long and 2 inches wide, starting out a wonderful pale yellow, and ripening through orange to red.

They are completely mild when yellow, but don't say we didn't warn you ­ they really are extremely hot once ripened to orange.

Control the heat by picking them at the colour you prefer.

The plants are about 2ft tall and 18 inches wide.

10 ­ Padron

Medium size green to red fruits SHU 500­3000 These peppers are traditionally picked immature (when green – about 5cm long) before they have developed any heat.

The plans can grow to 2m high and produce a perpetual crop throughout the summer provided you keep picking them. If left to mature, the fruits turn a light red and grow to about 10cm long.

11 ­ Sivri Biber

Long, red, mild chillies SHU 1500 Sivri Biber is a mainstay of Turkish cooking, producing fruit that are elongated, slightly curved and pointed. The fruit measure 22 x 200mm (making them quite large) and are very mild. The fruit turn from green to red as they mature, but are traditionally eaten green, when the seeds are still soft and tender.

The shrubby plants are medium tall and grow brilliantly both in the ground and larger containers, where they produce early and bountiful harvests.

12 ­ Hungarian Black

Medium size purple fruit SHU 5000­10,000

A great choice for those who want the jalapeno flavor, but without the heat.

This variety was bred to have no heat, yet keep the flavor and appearance of traditional jalapenos ­ no gloves needed for chopping or slicing!

Attractive fruits are 3" long, ripen from green to red and are great for fresh use, stuffing and roasting. Sturdy plants produce heavy yields.

13 ­ Jalapeño Early

Bullet shaped fruit on a medium sized bush SHU 2000­8000

Lots of bold flavour in a small, 3" pepper, 'Early Jalapeño' is better adapted to cooler climates than other jalapeños.

Incredibly versatile, they're hot enough to add a little kick to your favourite dish, but mild enough for any meal. Enjoy green or allow to ripen to red for a sweeter, bolder flavour.

Bullet­shaped, mild fruits SHU 24,000

14 ­ Jalopeño 'M'

Widely known as the 'pizza pepper', Chili Pepper Jalapemo M is both colourful and tasty. The dark green and bright red fruits are produced on medium height chili plants (90cm/35in) and make attractive additions to the conservatory, greenhouse or a sheltered sunny spot in the garden.

Fruits are 8­10cm (3­5in) long, thick­walled and slightly tapering with blunt ends.

Enjoy their striking colour whilst they're on the plant and then pick these versatile jalapeño peppers for use in a variety of dishes ­ not just sliced on pizza! Try them stuffed and baked, or use them fresh in a delicious and colourful salsa.

50 ­ Monkey Face

Bizarre shaped fruits with mild heat SHU 5,000

With bizarre and unusual shaped fruits resembling the face of a monkey hence the descriptive name of this chilli pepper. An annuum variety this pepper is easy to grow and produces great results. The heat level of this chilli is similar to that of a Jalapeno Chilli ranking in at 5 000 Scoville Heat Units. The plant is a compact bush reaching about half a metre high. The fruits turn from Green to yellow on maturity.

15 ­ Jalopeño Purple

Purple bullet shaped fruit SHU 2500­8000

Purple Jalapeno turns dark purple and stays that way for a long time before finally ripening to an oxblood red. The Fruits are about the same size as regular jalapeno, with the same thick walls and fiery heat. Great for use in salsas and very attractive pickled with a mixture of other jalapeno colours.

The plants are upright, 3 to 4 feet tall with woody stems. The fruits take about 75 days from sowing to harvest with each plant producing 20 to 30 fruits which are typically 6 to 8cm long and 2 to 3cm wide and conical. The plants usually need some support as they start to fruit to avoid branches being broken by the weight of fruit.

16 ­ Bueno Mulata

Long, skinny chilli SHU 4000­20000

Beautiful, spicy, and flavorful cayenne pepper that starts purple and then passes through salmon and orange on the way to turning a gorgeous red.

The tall striking plants are laden with 4­5 inch fruits, which are tasty at all stages, but you get added sweetness from the fully red fruit.

17 ­ Fish

Small, medium size fruits SKU 5000­30000 The Fish pepper is one of the best of all ornamental peppers, the plants are variegated, both on the foliage and the peppers themselves during the green stage. The leaves and fruit have lines and patches of creamy white and green, The pods/peppers eventually turn solid red.

The Fish pepper produces hot pods that are around 2inch plus. Fish pepper was and is used to season fish and shellfish in the African­American communities around Baltimore and Philadelphia. This chilli is still very much sought after for African American cooking.

85 ­ Fresno

It looks like a Jalapeno but slightly hotter!

SHU 6,250 Widely known as the 'pizza pepper', Chili Pepper Jalapemo M is both colourful and tasty. The dark green and bright red fruits are produced on medium height chili plants (90cm/35in) and make attractive additions to the conservatory, greenhouse or a sheltered sunny spot in the garden.

Fruits are 8­10cm (3­5in) long, thick­walled and slightly tapering with blunt ends.

Enjoy their striking colour whilst they're on the plant and then pick these versatile jalapeño peppers for use in a variety of dishes ­ not just sliced on pizza! Try them stuffed and baked, or use them fresh in a delicious and colourful salsa.

80 ­ Jalopeño

Green, medium size fruits, turning to red SHU 5,000­30,000 These steady producers may take a little while to flower, but once they start they keep on producing throughout the growing season. The plants grow to about 3’ in height and produce blunt­ended fruits with thick, dark green skins that turn to bright red when fully ripe.

The flavour deepens as the peppers ripen.

18 ­ Japones

Small, carrot­shaped red fruits SHU 30,000 The Japones chilli plant reaches a height of 23"­30", the plant grows upright and produces larges clusters of 6­8 chilli pods per cluster while the plant produces 60­120 chillis.

The chillies ripen from green to red and mature in 70­80 days. Japones chillies may be used whole or ground or roasted whole, or broken, in a dry hot pan. You can also finely minced them and added to everything from barbecue sauces to relishes.

19 ­ Joe's Long Cayenne

Long, red fruits!

SHU 22,000

A great choice for those who want the jalapeno flavor, but without the heat.

This variety was bred to have no heat, yet keep the flavor and appearance of traditional jalapenos ­ no gloves needed for chopping or slicing!

Attractive fruits are 3" long, ripen from green to red and are great for fresh use, stuffing and roasting. Sturdy plants produce heavy yields.

Tiny rainbow coloured fruit on a small plant SHU 20­30,000

20 ­ Little Elf

A petite (14in tall) Hungarian chilli plant ideal for indoor windowsill cultivation producing good yields of small 1/2in hot peppers that turn from yellow with some purple, to orange, to red when mature.

It will do better in a greenhouse, conservatory or on a warm windowsill.

Small, medium­hot purple chilli SHU 24,000

21 ­ Loco Chilli

Loco is a hybrid chilli with beautiful purple fringed white flowers. This chilli plant is known for its attractiveness due to the dark green leaves and colourful chilli fruits. The white flowers even have a fringe of purple.

The fruits are small and cone shaped, as well as growing above the foliage making it look like they are trying to escape. They start at dark lilac, to orange and mature to a bright red.

The plants themselves have a neat habit, which can gently cascade making them good at growing in pots unsupported.

81 ­ Chilli Red Flame

Long, wrinkled fruits ­ hot SHU 22,000

Chilli Red Flame is a hybrid cayenne variety with elongated thin wrinkled fruits that mature from green to red and produces attractive 12.5 cm long fruits.

The chillies can be harvested when green or left to ripen to red and are extremely hot.

Would work well in a container on the patio during the summer.

23 ­ Royal Black

Bullet­shaped chillis, black, ripening to red SHU 5,000­30,000 An eye­catching variety with dark purple foliage and stems, almost black with an occasional variegated growing tip of green, purple, and creamy white. The undersides of the leaves are green with purple venation.

Bullet­shaped hot purple/black fruits measuring 1/2″ wide by 1­1/4″ high, are borne upright on 2 foot well­branched plants and turn to red when fully mature. Excellent for spicy dishes and vinegars. Foliage has an oriental quality and makes a good ornamental plant.

Happiest in a greenhouse, conservatory or warm windowsill.

52 ­ Serrano

Medium size fruits in green and red SHU 5,000­15,000 A later­to­mature fruit which, if protected, can fruit into November and December.

It has thick crunchy flesh great for slicing – can be used green or full ripened red. The immature fruits vary in colour from pale to dark green but mature to a deep red, varying in length from 7­13cm and 5cm wide.

The plant grows to a height and spread of around 90cm.

24 ­ Stumpy

Very small plant with medium­hot fruit SHU27,000 This variety is named Stumpy because of its diminutive size.

The wedge­shaped, upright fruit are about 30mm long and grow above the foliage in bunches. They are medium hot, and turn from yellow to orange and red as they mature.

Because of their small stature and compact growth habit, the plants do especially well in small pots and are ideally suited for windowsill growing.

25 ­ Cayenne Thick Chilli

Medium hot chilli fruits in deep red SHU 30­50,000

The Cayenne Thick is a variant of the classic Cayenne. It’s high yielding and the peppers are larger than the classic Cayenne and have a thick fruit wall.

The peppers are about 15 cm long and 3 cm wide. They are long and wrinkled.

The hot peppers have a wonderful aroma. Perfect for salsas or to use fresh.

Also good for drying and for seasoning dishes.

79 ­ Cayenne

Elegant, hot fruits SHU 30,000­50,000 This classic cayenne pepper plant produces some of the most elegant hot peppers around. The pepper itself performs nicely in just about any dish where extra heat is desired.

The plant has an upright habit and tends to need to be staked, as the copious amount of fruit it yields can often cause it to fall over. Although you can use the green peppers, it’s best to wait until they’re fiery red, especially if you’re planning on drying them. It grows well in pots or straight into the ground, but needs a greenhouse or poly tunnel to do well in our climate.

Very hardy, bug resistant and are excellent keepers when dried.

58 ­ Chenzo

Medium size fruits in beautiful black SHU 45,000 This is a compact plant (55 high by 50cm wide) that produces lots & lots of 5­ 6 cm long jet black chillies. It branches arch into a neat dome and the fruits hang like jewels below the bushy foliage.The pods start off green and mature from black through to red, so it makes a very attractive patio plant when all 3 colours are on show. The pods can be used for cooking etc when black or red either fresh or dried but to maintain productivity keep picking the chillies.

Chenzo Chilli pepper has been specifically bred within the UK so can cope with our 'mixed up' weather better than most chillies. Chenzo is a productive little chilli pepper and well worth growing!

Early ripening with medium size orange fruits SHU 40,000

26 ­ Cheyenne

An early ripening variety, this plant produces masses of medium sized, hot, green fruits turning orange throughout the summer.

The compact, bushy plants also make an attractive feature when planted in containers on the patio. It will achieve a height and spread of around 45cm.

91 ­ Chocolate Locoto

Large fruits in rich chocolate brown SHU 30,000­50,000

These look like miniature bell peppers with black seeds but don’t be fooled!

The peppers plant size varies widely and can reach from 2ft to vine­like depending on conditions. The fruits are 2­3 inches in length.

The fruits tend to be eaten fresh because the thicker skins make them hard to dry properly.

27 ­ Demon Red

Small red fruit on a compact plant SHU 30,000­50,000 A Thai­style small attractive chilli that’s compact enough for a windowsill, it produces numerous upright fruits 2­3cm (2­2⅓in) long and 0.3cm (⅓in) in diameter that vary from bright green to vivid red when mature. The plants are compact, growing to about 35 cm (14”), and have decorative dark purple­green leaves. They grow well both indoors or outdoors, and each plant is delightfully prolific with up to 100 fruits per plant.

These little beasties pack a punch, so use care when handling them. Great either fresh or dried.

28 ­ Fairy Lights

Small, medium hot, multi­coloured chillies SHU 45,000 A beautiful colourful plant showing chillies off at their best.

Fairy lights has purple tinged leaves which match the multi coloured chillies perfectly. The cone shaped fruits start purple and then turn orange and eventually become bright red.

Fairy lights chilli plants make great container plants and have an upright habit. They will grow unsupported in pots as well as in the ground.

29 ­ Friar's Hat

Bell­shaped, medium hot, red friuts SHU 40,000­50,000 A tall open growing chilli with distinctively shaped fruit. This is also known as, or very similar to: Aji Flor, Balloon, Champion, Christmas Bell, Friars Hat, Nepalese Bell, and several other names.

A highly ornamental chilli with crisp sweet flesh which is excellent eaten raw. Cut the chillies in half, remove the core and add to salads or garnish hors d'oeuvre.

Yellow, hot pepper SHU 55,000

90 ­ Kristian

An unusual and beautiful long thin yellow chilli pepper on compact bushes about 2ft across.

The plants are really pretty in the greenhouse and produces fruits with good flavour and a decent amount of heat.

Medium size yellow fruits SHU 30,000­50,000

30 ­ Lemon Drop

Lemon Drop Chilli seed pods are about 7cm long by 1­2cm across and have a lovely citrusy flavour with a warm bite.

This is a productive pepper plant that reaches 70­90cm tall. It can be a little gangly so will benefit from staking to stop it becoming top heavy once the fruits start to form.

The fruits are good used fresh, dried or frozen.

31 ­ Orange Wonder

Small, medium­hot orange chilli SHU­Medium Hot

Strikingly attractive plants with glowing orange peppers held upright over bright leaves. The mass of fruit creates an eye­catching display in patio pots along with generous harvests of hot, tasty peppers.

Best crops will be achieved in a greenhouse, but smaller, later crops can be produced when grown in a sunny sheltered location outdoors.

67 ­ Bangalore Whippet's Tail

Very long & skinny, medium hot fruits SHU 20,000­50,000

The Bangalore Whippets Tail is a long and beautiful red chilli and the pods can get up to 30 cm in length. This is a very decorative plant and a very heavy producer. The fruits are mostly used dried.

This chilli originates from India and the pods are medium hot. This is a cross of a Bangalore Torpedo and a Whippets Tail, Capsicum Frutescens X Capsicum Annuum

73 ­ Omnicolour Aji

Small, thin, medium hot fruits SHU 30,000­50,000

Aji Omnicolour originates from Peru. This stunning chilli plant grows well in a pot to 50 cm high and would grow bigger, if you plant it in the ground. It’s one of our favourite looking chilli varieties with 5­6 cm fruits, that ripen from a cool ivory to purple, finally to red with various shades along the way. The plant is particularly attractive as the fruits ripen in various stages on the plant. Growth habit is more spreading than erect.

Omnicolour is excellent for Thai cooking and for drying

75 ­ Aji Charapita Red

Tiny, medium hot fruits SHU 30,000­50,000

Red variant of the very famous Aji Charapita (yellow). Originating from Peru and one of the most expensive peppers per kilo in the world.

Small red fruits, size of small peas. Ripen from white / yellow to orange into red.

Fruity and very aromatic.

Compact robust bushes full of upright growing peppers.

Small white flowers with blue / purple stripes, this colour continues on the first fruit development in the yellow / white ripening phase and eventually disappears.

76 ­ Aji Charapita Yellow

The Mother of all Chillis!

SHU 30,000­50,000

Selling for very high prices to Lima’s best chefs, this pepper is the most expensive in the world! The north Peruvian jungle native is a wild bushy plant which produces hundreds of hot, small (.25 inch), round Tepin­like peppers. The pepper has a distinct fruity, citrus aroma and is equal in heat to a cayenne pepper. Used fresh, this tiny pepper is known to have a strong fruity flavour that gives salsas and sauces a unique tropical taste.

Bullet shaped, red fruits on a dwarf plant Medium ­ Hot

32 ­ Red Missile

This is an ornamental chilli with hot tapered fruit that changes from cream to orange to bright red. It is an excellent container plant growing up to 25cm in height.

Bullet­shaped hot red fruits on a small plant SHU 70­80,000

33 ­ Apache

Apache is a dwarf chilli pepper, ideal for growing in pots on windowsills. It bears masses of medium­sized, hot chillies in a variety of colours from yellow to red.

It will reach up to 45cm in height and a 30cm spread.

34 ­ Basket Of Fire

Small hot, red chilli ideal for hanging baskets SHU 80,000

A wonderfully productive and decorative chilli pepper. The unique, bushy growing habit makes it perfect for hanging baskets and containers.

This colourful variety becomes smothered with small, hot chillies which mature from deep purple through yellow and orange to a bright shade of scarlet red, creating a fabulous display.

Plants show good tolerance to cool weather and will continue to fruit outside well into the autumn, and even longer under glass. Once harvested can be dried or used fresh from the plant. The plant will grow to a height of 30cm with a spread of 50cm.

35 ­ Calico

Small, hot, purple fruits on a small variegated plant SHU 70,000 An ornamental chilli that forms a compact, rounded plant, in form in size and habit, with variegated tricolour foliage of purple, green and cream.

It is suitable for containers, with a height of 25­30cms.

Medium­size, hot, red fruits SHU 67,000

36 ­ Etna

Etna is a spectacular plant with bunches of red chillies, growing upwards, held above the foliage. It is a decorative, ornamental plant with a decent heat to it. It is a vigorous and productive plant popular in Thailand and Southern Asia.

It will grow to about 45cm tall.

59 ­ Bolivian Rainbow

Small 1” cone­shaped upright fruits SHU 60,000

Grown for centuries in Bolivia (Central South America), the Bolivian Rainbow chile is a stunningly beautiful plant. The peppers start out a brilliant purple and turn yellow to orange to red, with all stages of the pepper present on the plant at once, making it a bright and colourful addition to your garden or your home with purple foliage and blooms.

They can be grown indoors and will produce fruits continuously, year­round.

The chiles are very hot, so use them cautiously, but they are delicious in salads or salsas, and can be dried or pickled.

61 ­ Coyote Zan

Small, skinny, white pods on a dwarf plant SHU 60,000­100,000 An interesting white variety that has many favoured characteristics. The plant is extremely prolific and grows well in containers. The pods start as light green, then turn to creamy white, and finally bright white.

This variety has strong Chinese flavour without bitterness, it is considered as very hot variety. One of the best white varieties for making homemade white hot sauce.

62 ­ Masquerade

Medium heat rainbow fruits on a dwarf plant SHU 60,000­70,000 This produces heavy crops of medium heat chillies, it's a looker too, worthy of a centre stage on a sunny windowsill. It produces both purple and white flowers early in the season, leading to a bumper crop of rainbow colour chillies through summer and into autumn ­ pick at varying stages of development for the biggest mix of chilli colours. Fruits start out purple then move through yellow and orange before fully ripening to red.

A great all rounder offering beauty as well as a bumper harvest. Height: 30cm (12") Spread: 25cm (10").

Tiny, elongated fruits­ hot ­ late maturing SHU 97,000

64 ­ Spike

Spike produces masses of thin, sharply­pointed and elongated fruit that measure 4x45mm.

The fruit change from green to red and are fairly late to mature. The short, slightly sprawling plants are highly productive and grow well in both small and large pots.

65 ­ Bird Eye Demon

Small, pointed bullet shaped hot red or green chillies SHU 50,000­100,000

A fantastic, extremely hot, dwarf variety that produces a prolific yield. The flowers and upward pointing fruits start green and turn bright red and are produced throughout the season.

They are sometimes called Thai chillies but actually come from Mexico.

These chillis are often used in Chinese and South East Asian cooking.

The fruits of most varieties are red, some are yellow, purple or black. The fruits are very pungent. The flowers are greenish white or yellowish white.

66 ­ Raj's Wiri Wiri

Hot round fruits, maturing green to red SHU 88,000

The name ‘wiri wiri’ refers to the round, habanero type of chillies that originate from Guyana. Raj’s version has small­size fruit ¬that measure about 13mm in diameter and change from green to red as they mature.

Though relatively mild for a habanero, they still pack a punch.

The plants are medium height, with fairly spreading bushes making it well­ adapted to growing in containers. This is the real deal Caribbean variety that adds authenticity to the cooking of the region.

69 ­ Orange Tyger

Long, skinny pods in vivid orange.

SHU 60,000­70,000

Chilli Pepper Orange Tyger has lovely long, thin chilli pods that ripen from a light acidic green to a vivid bright orange. The plants are bushy and able to hold the numerous small thin colourful pods that are held upright on the plant.

It is used a lot in Thai cooking and has a wonderful citrus flavour and aroma with a hot chilli heat. The pods have a thin wall so are fab for drying as well as using fresh or freezing. This is a real winner and a Thai type chilli that is well worth growing for appearance and for cooking.

70 ­ Purple Haze

Prolific skinny purple fruits­ great for beginners!

SHU 60,000­70,000 An attractive cayenne chilli with elongated (75mm) fruit that start a stunning dark lilac then turn to a purple­tinged red as they mature. The shrubby, sprawling plants have an open growth habit and are further decorated with purple stems and flowers. They are well­adapted to growing both in the ground and large pots.

The fruits are hot and one plant can bear insane amount of pods!

Ideal for beginners too as it’s very easy to grow.

Long red, hot fruits SHU 70­80,000

37 ­ Ring Of Fire

Ring of Fire is very useful everyday chilli that is very productive, producing long thin cayenne type pods that are 1cm wide by 6­7cm long. It's chilli peppers mature from dark green to red. The pods are thin walled so it not only excellent fresh but dries really well making a great chilli powder. They are also good frozen, just cut up whilst still frozen and use in cooking or on pizzas.

The neat compact shaped chilli plants reach about 45cm tall and have small mid­green leaves. The peppers can be ready from July and it will keep producing, if regularly picked, until October.

38 ­ Jamaican Hot Yellow

Small, very hot yellow fruits SHU 100­200,000

The Jamaican Hot Yellow is a compact plant which will grow to 60 cm in height. The plant gets an abundance of peppers. They are similar to Scotch Bonnet peppers and the pods are 5 cm long and 3.5 cm wide and look like mushrooms. They colour during ripening from green to golden yellow and are very hot. The peppers have a fruity flavour and are widely used in the Caribbean for making hot sauces.

60 ­ Jamaican Hot Red

Mushroom shaped fruits – hot!

SHU 100,000­200,000

This Jamaican variety looks almost like a bright red mushroom due to it's flat/squashed shape. It has a fruity flavour and tropical aroma, and is used in the Caribbean for making delicious hot sauces.

The plant is relatively compact, rarely exceeding 60cm in height, and is a good grower, producing more than 50 pods of fruit per plant. Fruit is green, before maturing to a bright red.

74 ­ Sugar Rush Peach

Very hot peach coloured fruits on a large plant SHU 100,000­200,000

The Sugar Rush pepper is a very sweet pepper with citrus tones. However, it does have some heat to it, close to habanero!

The pods have a cylindrical shape with gentle ridging that tapers at the end.

They start off with a light lime green and ends up in a beautiful peach colour.

The Sugar Rush Chile Plants will grow over 5 feet tall and will need staking.

It has a long season and produce lots of peppers into the Autumn.

78 ­ Rooster Spur

Small, very hot chillies, up to 20cm long SHU 175,000

A heavy cropping small very hot chill also known as a birds eye chilli measuring about 4.5 x 20mm.

Late maturing with up to 2000 fruit per plant turning from green to red as they ripen.

Ideal for containers with a bushy short habit needing no support.

Tiny, hot yellow to red fruits on a small plant SHU 120,000

39 ­ Prairie Fire

These peppers might look small, but they certainly make up for size when it comes to flavour! One Chilli Pepper 'Prairie Fire' plant will give you a non­ stop summer crop of literally hundreds of tiny, extremely hot peppers. With a dwarf, bushy habit this variety makes an attractive 'ornamental edible' for a sunny windowsill or patio container outside.

It has a height of 20cm (8") and spread: 30cm (12").

Medium size, very, very hot SHU 414,000

40 ­ Devil's Rib

A lovely habanero chilli variety from Ghana. We love how the 5cm x 2cm pods turn from a really glossy lime green to a vibrant stand out red.

They are slightly ribbed which is also very cool. Much sweeter and fruitier than your average habanero this prolific beauty would be perfect made into a fiery sauce.

When this plant is grown in a pot, it grows to approximately 1metre in height. In the ground, it can grow to an enormous size.

41 ­ Habanero Red

Small size fruit – very, very hot SHU 100­325,000

The Habanero Red Chilli is an extremely hot pepper with a unique flavour and plant grows to around 1m tall. The Chillies measures from around 3.5cm ­ 6cm long x 2.5cm ­ 5cm wide.

Habanero Red Chillies mature from green to red and are a great looking specimen especially for containers. It does however need a long growing season to produce chillies but will continue to fruit later than some other varieties if protected in a greenhouse or polytunnel.

71 ­ Habanero White

Small size, very, very hot SHU 150,000­325,000

The white habanero fruit starts green and ripens to a light­yellow/creamy­ white colour.

The fruits are smaller than other Habaneros, growing on bushes about 40cm high.

72 ­ Habanero Chocolate

Small size, very, very hot SHU 325,000­425,000

This is a stunning chilli originating from Jamaica. Similar in appearance to other Habaneros but a rich chocolate brown in colour. The fruits are extremely hot with a rich smoky flavour!

The bushes grow large with strong woody stems, growing up to 80cm. It will continue fruiting late into the season if kept in a polytunnel or greenhouse.

42 ­ Scotch Bonnet Red

Small, very, very hot chilli SHU 90­325,000

The chillies are very very hot with a strong aroma.

They measure 2.5 to 4cm long by 2.5 to 3cm wide and mature from a lovely pale green to red. They taste best fresh but this thin­walled variety can also be frozen/pickled or put in olive oil very successfully.

Scotch Bonnet Red is a short bushy plant that reaches about 50cm tall and looks 'fab' in containers but as Scotch Bonnets are late to mature (late Aug/ Sept)

63 ­ Fatalli Brown

Medium size, very hot chillies SHU 175,000

One of the few Capsicum Chinese species originated in Africa. The chocolate Fatalli has slightly less heat than the yellow variety but the same excellent fruity flavour.

The plants are very productive reaching 60­90cm in height producing 7­ 9cm long glossy chocolate coloured fruits.

They love sun and need protection under glass in the UK to thrive.

68 ­ Paper Lantern

Small, red, very, very hot chillies SHU 300,000

The plump, oval fruit of Paper Lantern, measuring 25 x 65mm, are bright red when mature and have a nice fruity aroma. The bushy plants grow about 60cm tall and produce an abundance of very hot fruit.

The plants are well­adapted to 7.5 litre pots and crop earlier than those of Orange Habanero, an equally popular variety.

If you have a fondness for particularly hot habanero chillies, then Paper Lantern is certainly one to try.

43 ­ Scotch Bonnet Yellow

Small, very, very hot, yellow fruits SHU 90­35,000

Trinidad Yellow Scotch Bonnet is another fantastic variety from Trinidad in the Caribbean.

The plant grows well in a pot to about 70 cm in height, and would grow bigger, if you plant it in the ground.

The pods start off green and end up a warm yellow colour, when they are fully mature. It has an amazing sweet and fruity flavour combined with the delicious Scotch Bonnet flavour as well.

44 ­ Naga Chilli – 7­Pot Douglah Red

Medium­sized red fruits SHU 1,000,000

An attractive cayenne chilli with elongated (75mm) fruit that start a stunning dark lilac then turn to a purple­tinged red as they mature. The shrubby, sprawling plants have an open growth habit and are further decorated with purple stems and flowers. They are well­adapted to growing both in the ground and large pots.

The fruits are hot and one plant can bear insane amount of pods!

Ideal for beginners too as it’s very easy to grow.

45 ­ Naga Chilli – 7­Pot Yellow

Small yellow fruits SHU 1,000,000

Beautiful and hot as hell but if you can stand the heat this is an extremely tasty chilli pepper. 7 pod, also known as 7 pot yellow, is a chilli pepper that originates from Trinidad. It is a great chilli pepper to make up as a sauce.

The pungency of this pepper is similar to that of the Bhut Jolokia and Naga Morich. It’s said that 1 pod will spice seven pots of stew – hence the name.

Best crops will be achieved in a greenhouse.

82 ­ Naga – 7­Pot Chocolate

Chocolate coloured fruits – very hot!!

SHU 800,000­1,000,000

Also known as: Brown 7 pod, or the 7 pot sauce because of the one chilli will spice up to 7 pots of stew!

The heat level in Scoville heat units for the Trinidad 7 Pod Douglah Cross Naga Morich Chocolate Chilli is around the 850,000 – 1.100.00 Scoville Heat Units.

When fully grown the Trinidad 7 Pod Chilli plant can grow up to 120 – 130 cm high and they get bushy and the pods are very heavy and clock in at around the 20 to 25 grams each. You should be able to get between 1 – 2 KG per plant of fresh fruit during the chilli season, which lasts approximate 4 to 6 months.

83 ­ Naga – 7­pot Peach

Peach coloured fruits – very hot!!

SHU 800,000­1,000,000

From Trinidad, an island just northeast of Venezuela, the 7­Pot is a Caribbean chille.

It's similar in shape to the Habanero and has similar "pimpling" to other super hot peppers, like the Naga Morich.

Its flavor is fruity, sweet and nutty, if you can get past the intense and sweat­ inducing heat. The Peach 7­Pot, also called the 7­Pot Douglah, is named after its ability to "spice 7 pots of stew." Best grown in a greenhouse.

87 ­ Bhut Jolokia Chocolate

White, gnarly pods, extremely hot SHU 800,000­1,000,001

The Chocolate Bhut Jolokia is a wild strain found by Frontal Agritech in Assam India. The plant grows well in a pot to about 1 metre and in the ground it would grow really big. The delicious looking pods are 5­8 cm long and 2­3 cm wide.

All in all an outstanding looking chilli variety with gnarly looking pods and if you love heat you will love this chilli variety.

84 ­ Bhut Jolokia White

White, gnarly pods, extremely hot SHU 800,000­1,000,001

White Bhut Jolokia chilli is a plant that looks absolutely spectacular.

It’s a solid plant that gets to around a meter tall in the pot. If you plant it in the ground it would get bigger to about a meter and half tall. A good producer for a bhut. The chilli pods are about 5­6 cm long and 2.5­3 cm wide that start off a light green and then go to a creamy white, eventually ripening to a bright white. Overall, a spectacular chilli that grows really well and looks stunning with the gnarly white pods. It tastes amazing and the heat is excellent!

46 ­ Naga Chilli – Jay’s Ghost Peach

Medium­sized peach coloured pods SHU­900,000

This is a pretty, spicy hot chilli pepper. It was developed by a farmer in Eastern Pennsylvania, USA. It is a cross between a Ghost Chilli (Bhut Jolokia) and a Trinidad Scorpion.

The paler shades of red and pink Scorpion were chosen to give it the Peach colour. It grows into some great shapes some having tails. It can look like an extremely twisted bumpy Ghost chilli. The flavour is floral but slightly sweet.

Use caution when handling! Best grown in a polytunnel or greenhouse.

Interesting shaped pods in vibrant orange

86 ­ Naga Orange Tiger Taj Mahal SHU 800,000­1,000,000

The Orange Tiger Taj Mahal is a specially shaped pepper that varies from green to purple/orange.

It is a very hot chilli, as with all Nagas and has a good flavour. It will grow up to 75cm tall and is best kept in a greenhouse.

47 ­ Naga Viper

Medium­sized red, wickedly hot fruits SHU 800­100,000 The Naga Viper has been rated at 1,382,118 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), according to tests conducted by the Warwick HRI Mineral Analysis Laboratory, UK, in November 2010.

The Naga Viper chili pepper is a hybrid of three different chili peppers – the Bhut Jolokia, the Naga Morich, and the Trinidad Scorpion.

This pepper is hotter than the Naga Jolokia (or Bhut Jolokia) by a scorching 300,000 Scovilles, and is claimed to be able to peel paint. In comparison, pure capsaicin is rated at between 15,000,000 – 16,000,000 Scoville units, and police grade pepper spray is rated at about 5,000,000 Scovilles. A polytunnel or greenhouse is the best place to grow these plants.

SHU­ up to1.4million!!!

48 ­ Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Deep Red, Caramel, Red, Peach, Chocolate There are super­hot's. And then there's the sweat inducing, tear generating, mouth on fire Trinidad Moruga Scorpion.

The golf ball­sized pepper scored the 2nd highest among a handful of super hot chilli breeds reputed to be the hottest in the world. Its intense heat has topped more than 1.2 million units on the Scoville heat scale, and fruits from some individual plants reached 2 million scoville heat units. A greenhouse or polytunnel is best to grow these plants in.

49 ­ Carolina Reaper

Medium­sized red fruits – SHU 1,600,000 Small chocolate fruits – SHU 1,500,000 The Carolina Reaper is a smaller pod, ranging from 1 to 2 inches wide (2.5 – 5 cm) and 2 to 3 inches (5 – 7.6 cm) long. The pods mature to a vibrant rich colour. The skin tends to sport a bumpy texture, though some can have a smoother texture. One distinctive feature is a typical scorpion­like tail, much like that of a scorpion pepper.

Despite the extremely scorching heat of this super hot pepper, the Carolina Reaper is surprisingly fruity and sweet. It is outstanding as a dried powder for adding both heat and flavour, and also as a sauce or hot sauce. Best crops will be achieved in a greenhouse.