Plant Encyclopedia

Group/Class:  Hot Serrano

Description:

This upright, uniform selection, produces a high yield of long, green fruit that matures to scarlet when ripe; great for containers and gardens; spicy flavor is perfect for salsas, hot sauces, marinades or any dish needing an extra kick

Edible Qualities

Serrano Hot Pepper is an annual vegetable plant that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces green narrow peppers (which are technically 'berries') which can be harvested at any point. The fruit will often fade to scarlet over time. The peppers have a hot taste and a firm texture.

The peppers are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Eating When Cooked/Prepared
• Cooking
• Pickling
• Sauces

Planting & Growing

Serrano Hot Pepper will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. This vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.

This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and it is considered by many to be an heirloom variety.

Serrano Hot Pepper is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.