Serrano Chilli Pepper - 5 Seeds

The Serrano chilli pepper, meaning ‘from the mountains’, is native to Mexico and south-west America. The abundant candle-flame shaped fruit up to 9cm long and 2cm wide. The fruits are green, then red at full maturity and are borne on attractive 75 to 90cm erect, branching plants.

Serrano peppers are fleshy and meaty with the unique Serrano flavour so popular in Mexican cuisine. They look like slender Jalapeños, but are a little hotter at 5,000 to 10,000 SHU.
This traditional Mexican salsa chilli is called for in many recipes; it is eaten fresh and used in many sauce recipes. The red chilies are usually a little sweeter, they are often be threaded on string and dried as a colourful ornament.

The Serrano chilli pepper plant adapts easily to different climates and altitudes, which allows it to be cultivated in many regions. Upright, hairy and woody-stemmed, the plant that is also hardier than most chilli varieties, making it a good choice for overwintering. A vigorous bearer, the fruits reach full size in 75 days from potting on.

Unripe serrano peppers start out green in color and will typically grow to 3 or 4 inches in length on the plant. As with any chili pepper, you can pick and eat them at anytime in the growing process, though the flavors will change as they ripen. Eventually the serrano pods stop growing and will then change color, from green to red, brown, orange or yellow. After that they will fall off of the plant and can even rot on the plant, so it is best to pick your serrano peppers while they are still green or as they begin to change color. They are slightly sweeter in flavor, and the colors can make a dish truly pop with visual interest.