Hot pepper 'Biquinho Red'
Produces abundant mildly hot fruits that are perfect for everyday cooking and homemade preserves. Its compact habit makes it equally suitable for garden beds and containers.
identification
description
Biquinho Red Hot Pepper (Capsicum chinense) is a unique Brazilian variety, also known as Chupetinho, prized for its small bright red, teardrop-shaped fruits. Their elegant, luminous appearance brings excellent ornamental value to vegetable gardens, containers, and colorful dishes. Mildly hot, with an intensity of 500 to 1,000 SHU, it is perfect for gardeners who want pepper flavor without strong heat. The compact, highly productive plant reaches about 60 to 80 cm (24 to 32 in) tall and can produce an abundance of small, crisp, juicy, fruity, slightly sweet, citrusy fruits throughout the season.
Biquinho Red Hot Pepper grows best in full sun, in rich, fertile, well-drained soil, with regular watering and no excess moisture. Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost, at a warm temperature of 25 to 30°C (77 to 86°F). Germination usually takes 10 to 20 days. Once plants have 4 to 6 true leaves, transplant them into larger pots before gradually hardening them off outdoors. After all risk of frost has passed, plant them in the garden, spacing plants 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in) apart. Compost and mulch help conserve moisture.
In the garden, this pepper is very well suited to small spaces, patio containers, decorative edible gardens, and plantings near the kitchen for easy harvesting. It grows well alongside tomatoes, basil, and cilantro, while benefiting from being kept away from fennel and beets. Its flowers may attract pollinators, while its red fruits are excellent fresh in salads and salsas, pickled, dried, or added whole to slow-cooked dishes such as Brazilian feijoada. Biquinho Red adds color, sweetness, and freshness to recipes without overpowering other flavors.
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