Jalapeño Pepper

Capsicum annuum 'Jalapeño'

vegetable

The jalapeno is the most widely grown hot pepper in North America, a medium-heat chile rated about 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units with thick crisp walls and a grassy, vegetal bite. Picked green it is the workhorse of salsas, nachos, poppers, and pickling; left to ripen red on the plant it grows sweeter and a touch hotter, and smoke-dried red jalapenos become chipotles. The compact, productive plants suit gardens and containers alike and set heavy loads of fruit over a long warm season, making one or two plants plenty for most households.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Basil — Repels aphids and spider mites
• Carrots — Loosen the soil around pepper roots
• French Marigold — Deters nematodes and aphids
• Onions — Masking scent confuses aphid-attracting volatile signals

❌ Keep away from

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Aphids →

  Draw in hoverflies with sweet alyssum; rinse colonies off with water early

• Flea beetles →

  Float row cover over young transplants until well established

• Blossom-end rot →

  Water evenly and ensure adequate calcium; mulch to buffer soil moisture

🌾 Harvest & storage

Green jalapenos are ready about 70 to 75 days from transplant, at full size with firm, glossy walls; for a sweeter, hotter pepper leave them on the plant another couple of weeks until they turn red. Cut fruit off with sharp shears rather than pulling, which tears the brittle stems. Harvest regularly to keep the plant setting. The fine corking lines that appear on the skin are a sign of full maturity and extra heat, not damage. When cutting hot peppers, wear gloves and keep your hands away from your eyes, as the capsaicin oil lingers.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Jalapenos are exceptionally high in vitamin C, ounce for ounce more than a bell pepper, and supply vitamin B6, vitamin K, and beta-carotene. Their heat comes from capsaicin, which research links to reduced inflammation, a modest metabolism boost, and pain-relief uses. They are very low in calories, so they pack flavor and nutrients into almost no energy; much of the vitamin C is preserved when they are eaten raw or only lightly cooked.