DESCRIPTIONS OF OUR SEEDS
WE CONTINUE TO ADD MORE VARIETIES AS WE FIND INTERESTING OR AND RARE ONES.
WE HAVE ADDED SEVEN NEW CHILES FOR THE 2009 SEASON
BE SURE TO BOOKMARK OUR WEB SITE AND CHECK BACK OFTEN.
ALL VARIETIES ARE IN STOCK AND READY TO SHIP!!
Click on the variety of your choice or scroll down
PEPPERS
AJI, ALMA PAPRIKA, ANAHEIM TMR23, ANCHO-MULATO, ANCHO-POBLANO, ANTILLAIS CARIBBEAN, BIG BERTHA HYBRID, BIG JIM , BIG SUN , BURKINA YELLOW, CARIBBEAN RED HABANERO, CARIBBEAN RED HOT PEPPER , CASCABEL , CHARLESTON CAYENNE, CHIMAYO, CORNO DI TORO RED, CRIOLLA SELLA, CUBANELLE,DATIL, DUNDICUT, ESPANOLA IMPROVED, FRESNO SUPREME, GARDEN SALSA HYBRID, GOLDEN CALWONDER, GUAJILLO, HOT BANANA, JALAPA HYBRID, JALAPENO, SCOTCH BONNET, KING OF THE NORTH, LEMON DROP, MALAGUETA, MEXIBELL HYBRID, MIRASOL, NUMEX #6-4, ECLIPSE, SUNBURST, SUNFLARE, SUNGLOW, SUNRISE, SUNSET, NUMEX BARKER HOT, NUMEX PINATA, NUMEX TWILIGHT ORNAMENTAL , ORANGE HABANERO, PASILLA, PEQUIN, PEPERONCINO , PETER PEPPER, PILI PILI, PIMENTO, PRAIRIE FIRE, PIMENTO, PULLA, PUMPKIN, PURIRA, RED CHERRY, ROBUSTINI HYBRID , ROCOTO , SAFI, SANTAKA , SERRANO, SUPER CAYENNE HYBRID, SUPER CHILI HYBRID, SUPER SHEPHERD, TABASCO, TEPIN, THAI, THAI HOT, TRICOLOR VARIGATED ORNAMENTAL, WEST INDIAN RED
CILANTRO OR CORIANDER
LEISURE CILANTRO, SANTO CILANTRO
TOMATILLOS
TOMATOES
CASPIAN PINK GERMAN JOHNSON HILLBILLY, MR. STRIPEY, OLD GERMAN, ROMA VF, SIBERIA
ALMA PAPRIKA is NEW FOR 2005. Paprika is a kitchen staple and this is a great one for drying or eating fresh. Sweet fruits mature from white to orange to red. Usually picked when red.
ANAHEIM TMR23 is a long mild Chile which can be used for stuffing or for stews. It is about eight inches long. Days to maturity are about 75. This is the Chile which is sold as "Long Green" in western US supermarkets. Heat Scale is 1-2.
ANCHO-MULATO is similar in size and heat to ANCHO-POBLANO but it ripens to a rich chocolate brown color.
ANCHO-POBLANO is a large heart-shaped chile which when green (POBLANO) is often stuffed to make chile rellenos. It ripens to a red color. When dried (ANCHO) it is ground into chile powder and is also used in sauces, such as moles. It has a shorter growing season than many of the hotter chiles. Heat scale is a 3.
BIG BERTHA Hybrid is one of the largest Bell Peppers available. Huge thick walled fruits, 6 to 7 inches long and 4 inches across. Bears heavily, 72 days from transplants. No heat.
BIG JIM is a popular mild to medium heat New Mexico Chile which grows to 8 - 9 inches long. This thick walled beauty is perfect for Chiles Rellenos. 80 - 90 days from transplants. Heat Scale 2-3. Ours were 5-6 chiles per pound in 1997. 12-15 per kilo. This is the largest Chile we know of.
CARIBBEAN RED HABANERO is also listed with the Habaneros, but deserves a special note. This Chile has been developed by Seminis Vegetable, one of the world's largest seed companies. Their testing of dried CRH came in at 445,600 Scoville Units versus 259,176 for their Orange Habanero. While heat varies with growing conditions, this one should give Red Savina a run for its money, and since it isn't patented, can be shipped anywhere in the world. Look it up in your seed catalogs, then order it from us at a lower price. To view an image, click here.
CASCABEL means "Little Rattle" in Spanish. These 1 - 2 inch pods are dried and used for soups, sauces and salsas. The seeds rattle inside the dried pod when it is shaken. Shown on page 169 of "Peppers of the World", also pictured on the SECO version of "The Great Chile Poster". Heat Scale is 4.
CHARLESTON CAYENNE (Capsicum Annum) was developed by the USDA at Clemson University in South Carolina. It is advertised to be straight to slightly curved because it is a Cayenne, ( but much hotter) and 4" to 5" long and 3/4" across. It matures from yellow green to yellow to orange to red. Plants are 18" tall vs 36 inches for the Habanero. It is reported to contain 100,000 Scoville units which is more than twice the heat of a typical Cayenne and about 1/3rd of the heat of a Hab. when we had it tested it came in at 77,500 SU vs. 447,500 for an orange Hab which would make it about 1/6 as hot as a Hab.The Charleston is a heavy user of Nitrogen, so feed it more often.
CHIMAYO is a New Mexico Chile named after the town of Chimayo. We have been growing it for 5 years under some of the most unfavorable growing conditions imaginable and it is one of our best perfomers. It is hotter than the Anaheim or NuMex varieties and in our recently completed tests was hotter than a Jalapeno (27500 SU to 18250). It grows about 5-8 inches long and it can be picked green for stews or salsas. It can be dried and ground for red chile powder. It is also widely used for ristras, and is hard to find and expensive according to our New Mexico sources.
CORNO DI TORO RED is a sweet pepper from Italy. Corno Di Toro means bull's horn and these sweet peppers have fruits which are 8 - 10" long and are curved like a bull's horn. They ripen to red and are great for salads, grilling or saute. We first grew these in 1999.
The CRIOLLA SELLA is a new variety for 2003. This variety is a Capsicum Baccatum and is very rare. From Bolivia, 100 days from transplants, 2-3" fruits are golden yellow when ripe. Height is up to 24" which would make it a good ornamental plant.
CUBANELLE has sweet, large smooth tapered peppers. Fruits are 6" long and 2" across at the shoulder. Ripens from lime green to yellow to red. 70 to 75 days from transplants. This is also called an Italian Frying Pepper and is used in those wonderful Sausage and Pepper sandwiches.
DATILis a small pepper grown only in the St. Augistine Florida area of the United States. It supposedly came from the island of Minorca and has been grown by Minorcan immigrants. This is probably the rarest chile we have. We have tried to find reasonable quantities of seed for the last 10 years and were finally able to get enough to sell for 2005-2006.
DUNDICUT is the national pepper of Pakistan. After growing it in 2001-2, we believe that it is a member of the Chinense family. The surprising thing is that the chiles on the plants we grew taste great, BUT HAVE NO HEAT!!! This is in conflict with a well known spice company (Penzeys) who claim that their Dundicuts are quite hot and one of my customers in Pennsylvania who says in the spring of 2003: " I have grown the Dundicut 2 years in a row (purchased from you) and I still contend that its a hot pepper." Please try it and let us know what you think!
ESPANOLA IMPROVED is a good hot thin-walled short season Chile. It is narrow and pointed and can be used green or red. If dried, it makes a good Chile powder. 70 days from transplants.
FRESNO SUPREME is new for 2005. 3" Red tapered chiles are found in our western supermarkets year around. Part of our new Hispanic Cook's Collection.
GARDEN SALSA is another Seminis Garden hybrid introduction. Fruits are quite smooth with medium thick walls tapering to a point. Fruits are 7 to 8 inches long by 1 inch wide. 73 days from transplants. Heat rating 3.
GOLDEN CALWONDER is new for 2005. This is a bell which ripens to a golden yellow color. It has no heat.
GUAJILLO is one of the most common Chiles grown in Mexico. Heat is mild to medium and the fruits are 4 - 6" long.Used dried in Salsas and Soups. 125 days from transplants. Shown on the SECO Great Chile Poster. Heat scale 4.5. This is one of the Holy Trinity of peppers used in Moles.
HABANERO and SCOTCH BONNET (Capsicum Chinense) are botanically different from other chiles (most are C. Annuum) and are also different in appearance. The Habanero has been grown in regions around the Caribbean Sea for centuries and is now being grown commercially in hotter climates of the United States and in Africa. It has an almost sweet fruity taste followed by searing heat. The good news is that the heat disappears in a few minutes unlike many other chiles which seem to burn forever. As this chile is normally grown in the tropics, it has a long growing period. Seed catalogs list from 75 to 125 days to harvest (We have found that 125 days is closer to the target). This is in addition to 50 to 80 days of indoor growth and up to 30 days for germination. For 2003 we are offering the AJI BROWN, the ANTILLAIS CARIBBEAN,the BIG SUN, the BURKINA YELLOW, the ORANGE HABANERO, the RED HABENERO, the CARIBBEAN RED HABANERO, the SCOTCH BONNET, the SAFI from West Africa, and the WEST INDIAN RED . The ANTILLAIS CARIBBEAN, BIG SUN, BURKINA YELLOW , SAFI and WEST INDIAN RED are from the French seed company Technisem. Some are grown in Africa and some in Antigua and Barbados. For another Scotch Bonnet Image and information, click here. To view a Caribbean Red Habanero, click here.
HOT BANANA is new for 2005. 6-8" Hungarian Wax type tapered chiles are found in our western supermarkets year around. Matures from yellow to bright red. Usually marketed when yellow. Fairly hot, 70-75 days from transplants. Part of our new Hispanic Cook's Collection.
JALAPA is a Seminis Garden hybrid Jalapeno. While we like to offer open pollinated seeds, sometimes hybrids just perform better. You can't save the seeds, but at these prices, you can't go wrong!
JALAPENO is being offered because so many of our customers expressed an interest. We tried several varieties in the Tough Love Chile Patch and they all grew and tasted the same. The seeds we are offering are Open Pollinated which means that you can save the seeds from your crop if you don't grow it too close to the others. The Jalapeno is normally used green for pickling and on Nachos, but it can also be used red or smoked. When smoked it is called Chipotle. 70 Days, a low 4-5 on the heat scale, higher when smoked. If you want a potentially better plant, See JALAPA Hybrid.
KING OF THE NORTH is new for 2005. This is a bell which ripens from green to red and can be used at either color. It has no heat and only requires 65-70 days to bear fruit.
LEMON DROP is new for 2005. This is an AJI type (capsicum baccatum. 100 days from transplants but can be grown as a container plant. Plants are about 2' high and fruits are bright yellow 2" x 1/2". Extremely hot!!!
MALAGUETA may also be spelled Melegueta. This Capsicum Frutescens chile is from Brazil and supposedly is very old. It was popular in England in Elizabethian times through trade with Portugal. Pods are small and it grows in the wild and is occasionally cultivated. There is a berry like plant from Africa with the same name but it is not a capsicum.
MEXIBELL HYBRID is a 1988 All America winner. It is a nice blocky bell type with some heat! Good for stuffing or in salads. We've been growing it for our own use for years. and decided to offer it to our customers. 70 days, ripens green to chocolate to red and can be eaten at any time. Heat scale 1 -2.
MIRASOL is a 4" x 3/4" chile which is medium in heat. MIRASOL means "Looking at the Sun" which describes its erect growth habit. Fruits ripen from green to translucent red an have a fruity flavor. 2500 to 5000 Scoville Units. 80 days after transplanting.
We are pleased to be able to offer the NUMEX #6-4 (Red), ECLIPSE (Brown), SUNRISE (Yellow) and SUNSET (Orange). These are the Chiles shown on Mark Miller's great Seco (dry) Chile Poster. These are used in making the really expensive multi-colored ristras. This chile can be used as a green Anaheim type, but is slightly hotter that the California grown chiles. 80 or more days from transplants, or seed directly into 70F soil. Heat Scale 2-3. We recently added NUMEX SUNBURST (Bright Orange), SUNFLARE (Bright Red), and SUNGLOW (Bright Yellow). These chiles are 2-3 inches vs 4-6 inches for the other Ristra chiles.
NUMEX BARKER HOT is the hottest of the Nu Mex varieties. Pods are 5-7" long. May be eaten when red or green.
NUMEX PINATA is a Jalepeno which has more colors than just red and green. Try it for something different in your salsas.
The ornamental NUMEX TWILIGHT is another product of the New Mexico State University breeding program. The 18" high plants have white flowers, green foliage and ripen from purple to yellow to red. Grow this variety in your flower beds for great fall color. Ornamentals sold by us are edible.
PASILLA or Chile Negro is not the Ancho Poblano which is often sold in the west as a Pasilla. If you go into a supermarket, you will usually see the big dark green heart shaped Ancho with a Pasilla sign in front of it. If you look at the dried chiles you will find a long black chile which is also labled Pasilla. This is the real one. This is often dried and used to make moles. When eaten fresh it is called Chilaca. This chile has a unique flavor and is about a 3 on the heat scale. It is also shown as Chilaca on the FRESCO and Pasilla on the SECO Chile Posters. Another Holy Trinity member.
PEPERONCINI or PEPERONCINO is an open pollinated variety of the salad bar pepper. See the description for hybrid pepper ROBUSTINI. Try them both and compare!
PEQUIN (Piquin) is one of the ancestors of domesticated chiles. Very tiny and slightly pointed, it grows wild in South Texas and Mexico and many Texans carry dried Pequins with them they travel because it has a unique flavor and heat. This chile is very small and the plant can be grown in a pot and brought indoors. The seeds are considered difficult to start so follow our growing tips carefully. 120 days or more from transplants, better yields the second year. Heat scale 8.5. Shown on the SECO Poster, a relative, the Macho is shown on the FRESCO Poster. You won't find this chile down at the local nursery!
PETER PEPPER is listed as an ornamental because it is not used for commercial food production, but like all chiles is edible. It was very rare but is now in demand and more readily available. It is a hot chile with pods 3-6" long and bearing a striking resemblance to a portion of male anatomy. 100 days or more from transplants. Heat Scale 7.5. Shown on the FRESCO Poster.
Pili Pili or Pilli Pilli is a bird pepper from Africa. It came from Technisem, the French seed company. Maturity is 50-60 days after transplanting. Plant is compact 15-20" high. Fruits are listed as Pequin size. Ripens from dark green to vivid red. Pili Pili and Peri Peri are Swahili words for HOT!!!
PIMENTO is a sweet thick-walled pepper which ripens to bright red. Fruits are huge 5" wide x 3" deep. Flesh is almost 1/4" thick. Often used to stuff green olives. 70 days from transplants.
PRAIRIE FIRE (PVP) is a new ornamental variety which is great in pots, as a bedding plant, or wherever you want a 6" - 9" pepper which ripens from white to purple to yellow to red. PVP means Plant Variety Patent. You may save seeds from this pepper for your own use, but you cannot sell them to others.
PULLA was a new variety for us. It is described as having shiny brownish red pods at maturity measuring 4-5 inches by 1/2 inch diameter. HOT sharp fruity flavor with a hint of licorice. Can't wait to try this one!
PUMPKIN is new for 2005. This one is really different!! According to our information it ripens to orange and red, dries easily and will withstand light frosts. When dried, it can be used for crafts as it resembles a Pumpkin! Picture looks like a cheese type and we will know more about it as we grow it in 2005. Don't know if it has any heat or even if it's a hybrid or open pollinated. Wholesale seed prices lean to hybrid. (10 seeds per packet)
PURIRA, Like Tabasco, this variety is Capsicum Frutescens. Very popular with Chile-heads who move it out of the house for the summer and back inside for the winter. Fruits are approximately 2" long and upright. 70-75 days and said to be extremely hot.
RED CHERRY is new for 2005. When I learned that I was going to Jamaica in 1997 I contacted Seminis Seeds. They kindly sent me quite a few varieties to leave with our Jamaican friends. The one they really liked from the picture on the packet was Cherry Bomb Hybrid. I offered Cherry Bomb for a few years but never had a lot of sales. When I found RED CHERRY, an open pollinated variety I jumped on it. This one is reputed to be prolific, not so hot when dark green but fiery when red. Fruits are 1/12 to 2 inches. 85 days from transplants.
ROBUSTINI HYBRID is the mildly warm pickled yellow pepper seen at salad bars and on submarine sandwiches. Harvest when yellow green and pack according to pickle recipes. Allow to set for one to six months. To view an image, CLICK HERE.
SANTAKA is a Japanese variety of Capsicum Annum. It is sometimes called "Asian Hot". It is a mirasol type meaning the fruits point towards the sun. Pods are approximately 2 1/2" long. Ripens from green to red. It is used to add pungency to stir fries and soups.
SERRANO is a small 1-2 inch tapered chile which is available year round in supermarkets in the western US. Heat scale is 7, much hotter than a Jalapeno. Turns from light green to red. Usually marketed in the green stage. 85-90 Days from transplants. This variety is also smoked to make a much hotter Chipotle than Jalapeno.
SUPER CAYENNE is a super productive early cayenne hybrid. Fruits are 1/2" x 6" slightly twisted and ripen from light green to dark red. At 50-60K Scoville Units, it is hot, but not as hot as CHARLESTON CAYENNE. 65 to 70 days from transplants.
SUPER CHILI is an ALL AMERICA SELECTION. Bred for exceptional yields, SUPER CHILI is a mirasol type hybrid. Small fruits are 35-40K Scoville units and ripen from green to orange to red and can be harvested 75-80 days from transplants. According to the breeder, it is not unusual to have 300 fruits on a plant.
The SUPER SHEPHERD is a long tapered Italian Sweet Pepper. Dark red 7" thick fleshed fruits. 70 days from transplants.
TABASCO is the Chile that made a landmark of New Iberia Louisiana, home of Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce. This Chile is small, narrow, and very hot! ( 137,500 SU in our test ) Pods are 1" to 1 1/2" long. For us the plant is not very prolific the first year, produces better the second year, and the plant is small enough to bring inside for the winter. 125-140 days from transplants. This has proved to be the slowest ripening of all our Chiles.
TEPIN or Chiltepin is another of the wild chile types. It has very small (fingernail sized) round bright red fruits and is much favored by birds. It is often found growing under trees where birds roost (probably planted with its own little fertilizer packet. According to The Whole Chile Pepper Book, wholesale prices for Chiltepins were $48.00 per pound in 1988. This is probably because it takes a lot of them to make a pound. Also considered difficult to start, so follow the Growing tips carefully. Heat scale 8. 90-100 days or more. Shown on both the Fresco and Seco Posters.
The THAI Larger than Thai Hot, it will probably replace Thai Hot in the Hot Hot Hot collection because seeds are more regularly available. This Chile is 1 1/2" long and is extremely hot.
THAI HOT is a small 8" to 12" plant which bears large amounts of extremely hot Chiles. Used in many Asian dishes. 50 days from transplants.
TRICOLOR VARIGATED ORNAMENTAL is a small 12" plant which doesn't have a very pretty name, but it has attractive varigated foliage with purple flowers and stems. Fruits ripen from purple to red. Some seed catalogs list this variety as inedible, but all peppers are safe to eat as long as you can stand the heat. To view an image, CLICK HERE. To return to this page, just use your browser's back button.
OTHER TOUGH LOVE SEEDS
We have two varieties of CILANTRO, a must for salsas. When used fresh, it is called CILANTRO, and when the seeds are used, they are called CORIANDER. SANTO is a slow bolting, fast grower. LEISURE is an extra slow bolting strain suitable for hotter climates. Both varieties are included in our salsa package. Sow a few seeds directly in the ground every two weeks to have fresh herbs available. Approximately 50 seeds per packet. 45-50 days.
We offer seven TOMATO varieties. All are open pollinated and most are classified as heirloom varieties.
The CASPIAN PINK was discovered by botanists for Seminis Vegetable shortly after the collapse of the former Soviet Union. Locals called it "Pink" and it probably has been grown in the Caspian / Black Sea area for hundreds of years. We are no longer growing or offering the Brandywine because we believe that Caspian Pink is a superior tomato. This variety seems to grow well in more areas of the world than Brandywine and we are tired of the arguments over Brandywine Pink, Red, Chartruese, etc. Indeterminate, 80 days from transplants.
The GERMAN JOHNSONis believed to be one of the parent lines of MORTGAGE LIFTER. This, like Brandywine is a potato or "spud leafed" variety. Fruits are 12 to 24 ounces with pink skins and yellow shoulders. Indeterminate, 80 days from transplants.
The HILLBILLY supposedly originated in the hills of West Virginia. Mild flavored beefsteak types weigh 16 to 32 ounces and are an unusual orange-yellow color which are streaked ant mottled with pink and red. Indeterminate, 85 days from transplants.
The MR. STRIPEY has large yellow fruits with pinkish red stripes. An old favorite. Indeterminate, 80 days from transplants.
The OLD GERMAN has golden yellow fruits with different stripes on each fruit. Fruits can weigh 1-1/2 to 2 lbs (almost a kilo). Indeterminate, 75 days from transplants.
The ROMA VF is a real paste tomato with lots of meatiness. Roma has been used as a paste/sauce tomato for a long time and Roma VF has more disease resistance. This is a determinate variety which means that most fruits will ripen at the same time. This is nice because you can do all of the work to make tomato sauce or paste once instead of everyday. 75 days from transplants.
The SIBERIA determinate tomato may do well at lower temperatues although no tomato will survive freezing. If this tomato will really ripen in 48 days as advertised, it would be our earliest. Fruits to 5 oz. Determinate. 48 days from transplants. (doubtful)
There is a link to TomatoFanatics at our links page. By all means join this group.
Another must for salsas is the TOMATILLO which is not a "Little Tomato", but a member of the Physalis family which includes ground cherries and chinese lantern plants. The fruits taste something like a slightly sour Tomato. This plant sprawls and takes up a lot of space. 60 days from transplanting. Harvest when fruit is 1 1/2" in diameter, is green or yellow and the outside husk has started to dry. One plant should be more than enough for a family's needs. Included in our salsa package. This variety is called TOMA VERDE.
Tough Love Chile Co.
3235 East Lake Blvd. #11
Carson City NV 89704
Phone 775-849-4300, Fax 775-849-3061
GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY HOT STUFF!
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