Anaheim Pepper
Capsicum annuum 'Anaheim'
vegetableThe Anaheim is a long, mild New Mexico-type green chile with thin walls and gentle heat, around 500 to 2,500 Scoville units, ideal for roasting, stuffing, and chile rellenos. Its smooth, glossy skin ripens from green to red, growing sweeter and fruitier as it colors, and it dries well.
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Sun
full sun
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Water
Every 3 days
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Harvest
~75 days
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Difficulty
easy
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Lifecycle
annual
One season, then done
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Spacing
18-24 in. apart
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Planting Depth
1/4 in.
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Soil pH
6.0-6.8
Growing Details
Soil Type
Rich, well-draining
Hardiness Zones
Zones 4 – 11
Grown as an annual — this range is its winter hardiness, but you can grow it for a single season in any zone.
When to Fertilize
At transplant, then lightly after fruit set
Fertilizer
Balanced 5-10-10, low nitrogen
🌱 Growing Guide
Start seed indoors about 8 weeks before the last frost and transplant only after the soil reaches 65F and nights stay above 55F. Space plants about 18 inches apart in full sun, water evenly, and feed with only modest nitrogen so plants set fruit rather than excess leaves; stake plants once loaded. Fruit is ready roughly 75 days after transplanting.
Planting Calendar
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Start seeds indoors
Feb 18
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Transplant outdoors
Apr 29
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Projected first harvest
Jul 13
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
✅ Plant alongside
Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests
- Basil — Repels aphids, thrips, and spider mites
- Sweet Alyssum — Attracts hoverflies and wasps that control aphids
- French Marigold — Deters nematodes and aphids
- Onions — Masking scent helps repel aphids
❌ Keep away from
FennelBrassicas
🛡️ Pest & disease prevention
Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide
Plant alyssum and sweet flowers to draw hoverflies and ladybugs; rinse colonies off
Float row cover over young transplants until established
Keep moisture even and calcium adequate; mulch
🌾 Harvest & storage
Pick green and glossy for roasting and stuffing, or let pods ripen red for sweeter, fruitier flavor and for drying, cutting with a short stem rather than pulling. Frequent picking keeps the plant producing.
🥗 Nutrition & benefits
Like other chiles, the Anaheim is rich in vitamins C and A with only gentle capsaicin and very few calories, and its vitamin content rises as the pod ripens to red.
For educational and informational purposes only — HomeSown is not medical, health, or other professional advice. Always positively identify any plant before handling or eating it; some plants, and some parts of otherwise-edible plants, are toxic. Consult a qualified professional before consuming or otherwise using any plant, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a health condition.