Lemon Drop Hot Pepper Seeds - (Capsicum baccatum)

Lemon Drop Hot Pepper – Addictive Spicy Citrus Flavor

For those who love their chile heat with a citrus tang, this is the pepper to know and grow. Also called Aji Limon or Lemon Chile and very popular as a seasoning in Peru and across South America, it’s difficult to find elsewhere. This ancient variety has been grown and improved over the past 2,500 years into the spicy treasure of today.

Very highly productive - often growing 100 peppers each - these are robust, hardy and compact, growing 2 – 3 feet tall and covered with 2 1/2 inch long fruit. The leaves are dark green and narrow, shading the lower plant well. Young fruit start out green and upright, becoming pendant as they ripen into their signature bright yellow color.

The heat is significant without being overpowering, somewhere between a serrano and a tabasco pepper, making it perfect for spicier dishes like salsas and citrus-based sauces and marinades. The steady heat doesn’t build or linger and is followed by a very surprising citrusy tang. Depending on the growing conditions and soil fertility, sometimes it has a fruitier flavor, other times the citrus is more like lemongrass.

The fresh, surprisingly strong citrus taste works extremely well with chicken and fish dishes and adds an unexpected tasty flavor to many types of snacks. Try dried lemon drop chile powder sprinkled on everything from eggs and sandwiches to popcorn and fresh apple slices. 

History

Indigenous to Central and South America, peppers were developed into a crop plant around 3,000 BC or perhaps even earlier. Columbus introduced Capsicum into Europe and it also spread to Africa and Asia.

Uses

Peppers are used fresh, dried, and cooked. Peppers contain vitamins A and C.

Learn More

• Growing Peppers 101
• Chile and Pepper Growing Tips
• Grow Better Peppers with Shade
• Fermented Pepper Sauce
• Fermented Chile Paste

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