Fish Pepper hot pepper BIO - Capsicum annuum

Variegated leaves and striped fruit – a chili pepper straight from a collector’s garden. Fish Pepper is one of the most decorative hot peppers. Both its leaves, mottled with green and white patches, and its 3–6 cm fruits are ornamental. Young fruits are green with white stripes, then turn orange with almost brown stripes, and become bright red when fully ripe. The heat is high – 7/10 on the producer’s scale.

At a glance

• Growth habit: bushy, approx. 60 cm tall, variegated leaves
• Fruit: 3–6 cm, striped, bright red when ripe
• Heat: high, 7/10 on the producer’s scale
• Sowing under cover: February – March
• Planting out: after May 15–20, preferably under cover or in pots
• Harvest: July–October
• Position: full sun, warm, well-drained soil
• Difficulty: challenging – requires warmth and a long growing season
• Seeds per packet: 25

What makes this variety special

Variegated foliage is rare in peppers, so Fish Pepper catches the eye as soon as the seedlings appear, long before the fruits develop. The fruits change appearance throughout the season – from green with white stripes to red – so the plant remains ornamental from spring to autumn.

It is also a full-fledged culinary pepper with pronounced heat, often found in chili enthusiasts’ collections. Because its variegated leaves contain less chlorophyll, the plant grows a little more slowly than varieties with green foliage and particularly appreciates sunshine and warmth.

Growing step by step

Sowing (February – March, under cover): Sow the seeds 2–3 mm deep in a light, moist seed-starting mix. Keep the container at a steady temperature of 23–28 °C. Hot peppers germinate more slowly than sweet peppers, usually within 8–15 days, so a heat mat works well. Keep the growing medium slightly moist, and once the seedlings emerge, give them as much light as possible, ideally with supplemental lighting, to prevent them from becoming leggy.

Pricking out: When the seedlings have developed 3–4 true leaves, transplant them individually into pots 8–10 cm in diameter, keeping them warm. Harden off the seedlings for the last 7–10 days before planting out, placing them outdoors for a few hours each day.

Planting out (after May 15–20): Plant the seedlings in a greenhouse, polytunnel or the warmest, sheltered spot in the garden, spacing them approx. 50 × 50 cm apart. The soil should be fertile, well-drained and enriched with compost. For container growing, choose a pot with a capacity of at least 5–10 l.

Care: Water regularly and moderately, preferably in the morning and without wetting the leaves. Both letting the soil dry out and keeping it constantly wet will weaken fruiting. Feed the plants with an organic fertilizer high in potassium while the fruits are setting. Stake taller bushes laden with fruit. At the end of August, it is worth pinching out the shoot tips so the plant can focus on ripening the fruit that has already set.

Uses

Fruits harvested while still green and white striped have a slightly milder flavor and look great in pickles and salsas. Use ripe red fruits in hot sauces, fish and seafood dishes, and for drying. The plant also makes an attractive container plant for the patio.

Gardener’s tip

About the producer

The seeds come from Semailles, a small-scale Belgian producer of organic seeds based in the province of Namur in Wallonia. Semailles offers only non-hybrid varieties (no F1), including many traditional and collector’s varieties. Some seeds are propagated on its own fields, while others are produced in collaboration with organic growers in Belgium and France. All batches are certified organic (BE-BIO-01 inspection).

Specifications