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Fire Away® Hot and Heavy Hot Pepper Capsicum annuum

Exposure
  • Sun
Flower Season
  • Summer
Mature Size
2' 18" 61cm 46cm
Height: 16" - 2'
Spread: 12" - 18"
Height: 41cm - 61cm
Spread: 30cm - 46cm
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  • Details

    16 - 24 Inches
    12 - 24 Inches
    12 - 18 Inches
    41cm - 61cm
    30cm - 61cm
    30cm - 46cm

    Features

    A hot and spicy pepper, but not so hot you'll need to call the fire department.  First ripe fruit takes 65 to 72 days from transplant. Glossy foliage minimizes water loss and contributes to low water needs for this plant.  Fruit sets and matures quickly once ripe fruit begins to present. Fire Away Hot and Heavy has a Scoville value of 2100.  Jalapenos are generally considered to measure between 2500 and 8000 Scoville units. The pepper has quite a bite, along the lines of what you would get with a mild Jalapeno.

    Award Winner
    Edible
    Heat Tolerant
    Deadheading Not Necessary

    Characteristics

    Plant Type: 
    Annual
    Height Category: 
    Medium
    Garden Height: 
    16 - 24 Inches 41cm - 61cm
    Spacing: 
    12 - 24 Inches 30cm - 61cm
    Spread: 
    12 - 18 Inches 30cm - 46cm
    Foliage Colors: 
    Green
    Foliage Shade: 
    Glossy Green
    Habit: 
    Upright
    Container Role: 
    Thriller

    Plant Needs

    Light Requirement: 
    Sun

    The optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).

    Maintenance Category: 
    Moderate
    Bloom Time: 
    Grown for Foliage
    Hardiness Zones: 
    10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
    Water Category: 
    Average
    Uses: 
    Container
    Uses: 
    Landscape
    Uses Notes: 

    A hot pepper that works well in landscapes and containers.  It may need trellising to maintain upright habit.  Fruit transitions from geen to orange to red, with multiple colors represented on the plant at the same time.  Fruits can be harvested when they begin to show good color and are fully ripe when solid red.  Taste is pleasing if picked before full maturity. If you are growing this plant in a container, a 12" diameter (3 gallon volume) is the minimum necessary size. The ideal size would be a 14" to 18" (5-7 gallon) container.

    Maintenance Notes: 

    Easy to care for.  It loves heat and will thrive through the summer months. Fruit can be harvested until first frost.

  • 13 Reviews

    5
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    Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.
    • These grow so well and are heavy producers. BUT, they are spicy! Much hotter than a jalapeño even though the first ones I have picked were yellow and not red, yet.. I will definitely grow these again because they produce so many peppers and are so pretty.

      Michele
      , United States
      , 15 weeks ago
    • I'm giving one star for the website, not the pepper. The site lists a '"RECIPE" which is misleading and does not shows a "recipe". Under the menu "RECIPE"- it presents only a suggestion for making a flower pot/planter with Marigolds. How disappointing to not find an actual recipe.

      Microlass
      , Canada
      , 1 year ago
    • I purchased 2 of these in late spring, zone 5-6b depending on the year. Though other reviewers bought seed, I purchased these as potted plants in the small size containers (I have since repotted them in 3 ft. long rectangular mixed containers, and forget the pot size). I love them, they are very durable and really pretty. I was impressed by their light colored foliage! For the chili heads out there, they grow like compact versions of the Tepin chili (unique native chili to the Southwest with glossy chartreuse foliage, low mounding habit) but have a manageable heat level and are infinitely easier to grow! They will get spicier the more sun they get and the longer you let them ripen. I prefer mine to be at the orange to red stage for stir fry, salsa, and pureed sauces. I have pickled a few green ones but won't be able to taste them until they have soaked in the brine a bit longer. A fun chili perfect for front of the border in edible landscaping. It pairs very well with dwarf red amaranth, cilantro, dwarf tomatoes, and nasturtium!

      Travis
      , Michigan
      , United States
      , 2 years ago
    • What a cool plant this is! Every seed germinated quickly. When the seedlings were about 4” tall, I put them in a large pot to grow outside. They have a trailing habit and look amazing with lots of peppers that range in color from green through orange and deep red. They would be attractive in a hanging basket or window box. They’re a bit too hot for me to eat, but I love using them in bouquets and will also try making some critter repellent with them.

      Elfin Forest Flower Lady
      , California
      , United States
      , 4 years ago
    • I had great luck growing these pepper plants from seed this past spring. For the first time. I used a grow light system, which helped with extra growing time here in Pa. My plants look fantastic and are producing a lot of peppers. Can't wait for them to turn red. I don't care if they are hot or not. They will be great to eat.

      Valerie Dedmon
      , Pennsylvania
      , United States
      , 4 years ago
    • This pepper plant has a great all around performance from the foliage to the changing color of the peppers. A bit hotter than a Jalapeno but satisfying when used in recipes where you want that kick but nothing overpowering. Grown in a container the size is a bit contained but never the less still a bushy pepper plant with a prolific amount of peppers. Very disease resistant even when transported in a humid trailer, in and out of sun, and then back again, it performed great and showed no signs of being unhealthy. Definitely will plant again as it is still producing will into late summer.

      Ambrose Salazar
      , Virginia
      , United States
      , 5 years ago
    • I had lots of tasty peppers from this plant!

      Jennifer Winship
      , British Columbia
      , Canada
      , 5 years ago
  • 8 Awards

    Award Year Award Plant Trial
    2019 Top Performer - Early Season Michigan State University
    2019 Top Performer Penn State University
    2019 Top Performer South Dakota State - McCrory Gardens
    2019 Top Performer Oklahoma State University Botanical Gardens
    2019 Leader of the Pack - Summer North Carolina State, JC Raulston Arboretum
    2019 Leader of the Pack - Early Summer North Carolina State, JC Raulston Arboretum
    2019 Leader of the Pack - Late Summer North Carolina State, JC Raulston Arboretum
    2019 Top Performer University of Tennessee - Knoxville
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