Pepper Chile Lemon Drop Seeds

Also known as "Ahi Limon", this popular seasoning pepper from Peru has a Scoville rating of 30,000-50,000, similar to that of a cayenne pepper. While nice and spicy, this pepper has flavor beyond heat with strong notes of citrus and an even lemony scent when cut. This is an excellent pepper for drying, and often only contains 10-15 seeds per fruit. Plants are very prolific, but do take a long time to mature.

Days to Maturity: 100 days from transplanting after last chance of spring frost.

Family: Solanaceae

Native: Americas

Hardiness: Frost-sensitive perennial grown as an annual

Exposure: Full sun

Plant Dimensions: 20"-24" tall, 22" wide

Variety Info: 2"-3" long, bright yellow fruits with an almost waxy lemon peel sheen. Some fruits will have blushes of purple on the skin. Walls of the pepper are thin and fruits often only contain 10-15 seeds.

Attributes: Frost Sensitive

When to Sow Outside: For mild climates only: 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date, when soil temperature is at least 70°F.

When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. 8 to 10 weeks before transplanting. Ideal soil temperature for germination is 70°-90°F. Transplant seedlings outside 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date, and when daytime temperatures are at least 70°F, and nighttime temperatures are at least 55°F. Mild Climates: Can also sow in late summer for fall/winter crop.

Days to Emerge: 10-25 days

Seed Depth: 1/4"

Seed Spacing: Start indoors

Row Spacing: 24" - 36"

Thinning: Start indoors, plant seedlings 18" - 24" apart outside

Harvesting: For step-by-step instructions on starting seed indoors, visit www.botanicalinterests.com.

Special Care: Harvest when peppers are mature in size and have turned bright yellow. Some peppers will have a purple blush to them that may never fade away. It is okay to harvest these peppers too. When harvesting, take care to avoid touching the interior of any broken peppers, as the capsaicin is an extreme irritant, especially to the eyes. Wash hands thoroughly after harvesting or wear gloves to harvest peppers.