Pepper (Anaheim)

📖 About This Plant

Pepper (Anaheim) is a mild-to-medium New Mexican chile pepper — the variety most commonly used for chiles rellenos, green chile sauce, canned "diced green chiles," and the roasted, peeled chiles that are a staple of Southwestern and Mexican cooking. Anaheim peppers measure 1,000–2,500 Scoville heat units (roughly one-quarter of a jalapeño's heat at most), making them accessible to heat-sensitive cooks while still delivering the warm, complex, slightly earthy chile flavor that milder bell peppers lack. The long (6–8 inch), tapered, glossy-green fruits blush to red as they fully mature, developing a sweeter, earthier character at the red stage. The variety is named for the city of Anaheim, California, where California grower Emilio Ortega established commercial chile production using seeds brought from Hatch, New Mexico in the early 1900s.

📊 Quick Facts

📅 When to Plant in Your Area

🌱 Care Tips

Start Anaheim peppers indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost — like all peppers, they are slow to establish from seed and need a head start. Transplant outdoors only after nighttime temperatures are consistently above 55°F and soil has warmed. Space 15–18 inches apart in full sun with fertile, well-drained soil. Anaheim peppers are relatively easy-going compared to hotter chile varieties and perform well in a wide range of climates, but they appreciate the long, warm growing season of the Southwest where they originate. Water consistently and deeply — 1–1.5 inches per week — particularly during flowering and fruit development. Feed with a low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertilizer once flowering begins; too much nitrogen pushes foliage at the expense of fruit. For green chiles (the most common use), harvest when fruits are 6–8 inches long and still solid green — typically 65–80 days after transplanting. For red chiles (sweeter, earthier flavor), allow fruits to fully ripen to red on the plant. For roasted chiles in the New Mexico tradition, harvest green, hold them directly over a gas burner or under a broiler, turning until all sides blister and blacken, then steam in a sealed bag for 10 minutes before peeling under running water — the peeled, roasted flesh freezes excellently for use through the winter.

🤝 Companion Plants

These plants grow well alongside Pepper:

🌿 Related Vegetable

More vegetable that grow in similar conditions:

❓ Frequently Asked Questions