As a passionate gardener and pepper enthusiast, I’m always on the lookout for new and unique pepper varieties to grow. While most supermarkets carry the standard bell peppers and jalapeños, the world of peppers offers so much more! There are over 5,000 different types of peppers that originate from all across the globe. When you buy pepper seeds and grow some of these rare heirloom and exotic pepper varieties yourself, you’ll discover amazing new flavors, colors, shapes, and heat levels beyond the ordinary.

In this article, I’ll highlight some of my favorite peppers of the world to grow from seeds. Get ready to add some new entries to your garden wish list!

Sweet Peppers: Mild Yet Bursting with Flavor

Let’s start off mild before we bring on the heat. Sweet peppers offer delicious flavor without much or any spiciness. They are very versatile in cooking and make great snacks sliced raw. Some excellent sweet peppers of the world to grow include

• Corno di Toro (“Horn of the Bull”) – An Italian heirloom sweet pepper that produces long, tapered red fruits up to 12 inches Great for salads, roasting and frying

• Jimmy Nardello – This Italian sweet frying pepper has a rich flavor with a touch of spiciness. Grows into 8 inch long slender fruits that turn deep red.

• Lipstick – A stunning pepper that produces 4-6 inch fruits that transition from green to bright red. Super sweet, crunchy and delicious.

• Shishito – A popular Japanese sweet pepper. Perfect for stir fries, grilling and snacking. The wrinkled green fruits pack sweet, fruity flavor.

Hot Peppers: Turn Up the Heat!

Once you start sampling hotter pepper varieties, you’ll quickly get hooked on their amazing flavors and heat. Some of my top hot peppers of the world for spice enthusiasts include:

• Carolina Reaper – Currently the world’s hottest pepper according to Guinness World Records. Flavor is fruity with intense burning heat. Use it sparingly!

• Chimayo – This heirloom from New Mexico produces crunchy fruits that are hotter than a jalapeño. Makes amazing hot sauce and chili powder.

• Fatalii – A deliciously fruity and extremely hot pepper from central and southern Africa. Their eye-catching yellow fruits are shaped like ornamental lanterns.

• Thai Dragon – A popular Southeast Asian chili with potent heat. The peppers ripen to a vibrant red and add authentic flavor to Thai dishes.

Specialty Peppers: Unique Shapes, Colors and Flavors

In addition to varying heat levels, peppers of the world showcase an amazing diversity of colors, shapes, flavors and uses. Some of my favorites include:

• Aji Amarillo – Very popular in Peruvian cuisine, this wrinkled orange-yellow pepper has a bold, fruity flavor with medium heat. Makes incredible sauces.

• Long Slim Cayenne – As the name suggests, these long, slender fruits grow 5-6 inches long and add a mild kick to dishes. Great for pickling and drying.

• Habanada – A hybrid habanero type with none of the heat, but all of the fruity, tropical flavor. Pretty orange-red fruits.

• Chocolate Bell – A unique brownish-red bell pepper with a delicious sweet, rich flavor. The pepper’s flesh has a brown hue when cut open.

How to Grow Peppers of the World from Seeds

The best way to access and grow rare, hard-to-find pepper varieties is to start them yourself from seed. When shopping for pepper seeds online, look for reputable companies offering diverse global heirloom varieties. I recommend waiting until 8-10 weeks before your last expected frost date to start pepper seeds indoors. Peppers need warm soil (at least 65 F) to thrive, so this head start gives them time to establish before transplanting.

Here are some key tips for growing peppers from seeds:

• Start seeds in a sterile seed starting mix. Keep the soil moist and provide heat/light from grow lights or a heating mat.

• Transplant young pepper plants into larger containers. Harden off before moving outdoors.

• Plant peppers 18-24 inches apart in full sun (6+ hours daily). They like fertile, well-drained soil.

• Water regularly and fertilize every 2-3 weeks during the growing season.

• Harvest peppers at their peak ripeness for best flavor.

The world of peppers offers amazing diversity well beyond basic supermarket varieties. By growing peppers from seeds, you can try exotic pepper types from all across the globe right in your own garden. It’s fun to experiment with new flavors, so try growing a few new peppers of the world each season. Happy gardening and spicy eating!

Discovering the Best Peppers of the World to Grow from Seeds

As a passionate gardener and pepper enthusiast, I’m always on the lookout for new and unique pepper varieties to grow. While most supermarkets carry the standard bell peppers and jalapeños, the world of peppers offers so much more! There are over 5,000 different types of peppers that originate from all across the globe. When you buy pepper seeds and grow some of these rare heirloom and exotic pepper varieties yourself, you’ll discover amazing new flavors, colors, shapes, and heat levels beyond the ordinary.

In this article, I’ll highlight some of my favorite peppers of the world to grow from seeds. Get ready to add some new entries to your garden wish list!

Sweet Peppers: Mild Yet Bursting with Flavor

Let’s start off mild before we bring on the heat. Sweet peppers offer delicious flavor without much or any spiciness. They are very versatile in cooking and make great snacks sliced raw. Some excellent sweet peppers of the world to grow include:

• Corno di Toro (“Horn of the Bull”) – An Italian heirloom sweet pepper that produces long, tapered red fruits up to 12 inches. Great for salads, roasting and frying.

• Jimmy Nardello – This Italian sweet frying pepper has a rich flavor with a touch of spiciness. Grows into 8 inch long slender fruits that turn deep red.

• Lipstick – A stunning pepper that produces 4-6 inch fruits that transition from green to bright red. Super sweet, crunchy and delicious.

• Shishito – A popular Japanese sweet pepper. Perfect for stir fries, grilling and snacking. The wrinkled green fruits pack sweet, fruity flavor.

Hot Peppers: Turn Up the Heat!

Once you start sampling hotter pepper varieties, you’ll quickly get hooked on their amazing flavors and heat. Some of my top hot peppers of the world for spice enthusiasts include:

• Carolina Reaper – Currently the world’s hottest pepper according to Guinness World Records. Flavor is fruity with intense burning heat. Use it sparingly!

• Chimayo – This heirloom from New Mexico produces crunchy fruits that are hotter than a jalapeño. Makes amazing hot sauce and chili powder.

• Fatalii – A deliciously fruity and extremely hot pepper from central and southern Africa. Their eye-catching yellow fruits are shaped like ornamental lanterns.

• Thai Dragon – A popular Southeast Asian chili with potent heat. The peppers ripen to a vibrant red and add authentic flavor to Thai dishes.

Specialty Peppers: Unique Shapes, Colors and Flavors

In addition to varying heat levels, peppers of the world showcase an amazing diversity of colors, shapes, flavors and uses. Some of my favorites include:

• Aji Amarillo – Very popular in Peruvian cuisine, this wrinkled orange-yellow pepper has a bold, fruity flavor with medium heat. Makes incredible sauces.

• Long Slim Cayenne – As the name suggests, these long, slender fruits grow 5-6 inches long and add a mild kick to dishes. Great for pickling and drying.

• Habanada – A hybrid habanero type with none of the heat, but all of the fruity, tropical flavor. Pretty orange-red fruits.

• Chocolate Bell – A unique brownish-red bell pepper with a delicious sweet, rich flavor. The pepper’s flesh has a brown hue when cut open.

How to Grow Peppers of the World from Seeds

The best way to access and grow rare, hard-to-find pepper varieties is to start them yourself from seed. When shopping for pepper seeds online, look for reputable companies offering diverse global heirloom varieties. I recommend waiting until 8-10 weeks before your last expected frost date to start pepper seeds indoors. Peppers need warm soil (at least 65 F) to thrive, so this head start gives them time to establish before transplanting.

Here are some key tips for growing peppers from seeds:

• Start seeds in a sterile seed starting mix. Keep the soil moist and provide heat/light from grow lights or a heating mat.

• Transplant young pepper plants into larger containers. Harden off before moving outdoors.

• Plant peppers 18-24 inches apart in full sun (6+ hours daily). They like fertile, well-drained soil.