A great pepper for ground cayenne pepper or making fresh hot sauces. It is the result of crossing two of the best cayennes grown in New Mexico and was released in 2010. It has the earliness and large fruits of ‘Large Red Thick’ with the high yield of ‘Mesilla’. NuMex Las Cruces Cayenne is used fresh, dried, or chopped fresh and mixed with ≈20% salt and then allowed to ferment. The resulting “mash” is the key ingredient in Louisiana-style hot sauces. This pepper is a high-yielding, high-heat, cayenne pepper with resistance to beet curly top virus. Fruit can be 6” long and over 1” wide and matures to bright red. Plants grow 24” – 35” tall.
Capsicum annuum (76 days) Heat Level: Very Hot Scoville: 17,400 Open-pollinated / Non-GMO Packet contains 10 seeds
In early spring, start seeds indoors 8 weeks prior to warm nightly temperatures. Place the seeds in sterile media and cover 1/4” deep. Provide 85°F bottom heat, bright light and keep moist at all times. Seeds will germinate in 7 - 21 days. Transplant seedlings into pots and grow until there are 6 true leaves on the plant. Plant them directly into rich soil, 24” apart or into large 3-gallon containers. Harvest chiles when they are red.