Plant these Yatsufusa pepper seeds and you’ll be rewarded with an abundant harvest of 2-3″ long but slim Japanese peppers. We love the look of these plants. The way the leaves splay open with the clusters of peppers growing in the center is almost remeniscant of a large flower. You may have also heard of these chilis referred to as “Yatzy” or chilies Japones. The dried chilis are mostly used when dried and ground in shichimi togarashi, a popular Japanese condiment. While typically used dried, these chilis can also be used fresh. Harvest when green for a slightly milder heat but they will mature to red with a more intense flavor and heat. Scoville rating of these peppers tops out at around 75,000SHU, slightly less than the Thai Dragon which look similar. Plants average about 24″ in height with multiple branches sporting 5-6 chilis growing upright on each branch. Each fruit is about 2-3″ long and about 3/8″ diameter. By harvesting frequently you’ll be rewarded with more peppers that grow to replace those harvested. Foliage is not very dense on these plants because they are usually covered in chilis. This is one of the most popular pepper varieties in Japan.

These peppers can be used in stir-fries, curries and soups. It is recommended that you use a combination of green and dried red chilis for the best flavor mix. If you end up with more peppers than you can use fresh the excess can be frozen and used throughout the year. The shichimi togarashi mentioned above can be used as a rub for smoked meat. These chilis even serve well made into hot sauces.

If you’re looking for a great all-around culinary pepper then try growing these Yatsufusa pepper seeds. If you’re new to growing peppers from seed be sure and check out our guide on how to start pepper plants indoors for more information.

Sample size packs can be found here.