Calabrian Pepper Seeds

Many of the Calabrian pepper seeds you’ll see at the market are from elongated, conical shaped chilis. However, plants grown with these Italian heirloom seeds produce round pods that have a short thick stem. This variety of Calabrian pepper is known as the Piccante Calabrese, an Italian heirloom. The pods grow upright and ripen from green to a glossy dark red color. The Calabrian Piccante Calabrese peppers have a nice smoky flavor with a mild heat level, especially when aged on the plant until slightly wrinkled. Although considered a hot pepper most would consider them a mild to medium heat, less than a Jalapeno. The Calabrian pods are thick walled and great for stuffing with your favorite ingredients like cheeses, meats and even anchovies. Calabrian pepper seeds grow in a large cluster that are easy to remove if you plan to use them for stuffing. Plants get heavy with the fairly large 2″ peppers. Large clusters of peppers will weigh down branches and likely require staking. This is a container friendly variety of pepper plant that can be grown in a 5-gallon pot or bucket. You may find interest in the El Rito pepper which is excellent for making salsa or cooking.

Starting Calabrian Pepper Seeds

Unless you live in a climate that is warm year-round, starting pepper seeds indoors is recommended. Plant at a depth of 1/4″ in sterile, moist seed starting mix. Place the sown seeds in a warm area, over 75F, for the best germination rate. The use of a humidity dome over the sown seeds will ensure they don’t dry out before germination occurs. Once the seedlings break the surface of the soil be sure to provide a bright source of light to ensure they don’t stretch and become “leggy”. Light coming in a window is rarely sufficient for proper growth. Even a south facing window is usually not enough. Providing light from a fluorescent or LED fixture over the top of your sprouts will ensure proper growth. If you’re new to growing peppers from seed we recommend you take a look at our guide on starting pepper plants indoors.