Hot Banana – mild to hot, with juicy sweetness
What is Hot Banana like?
Hot Banana chilli seeds grow into one of the most useful chillies for the kitchen. The pods are thick-walled and juicy with a pleasant heat – a good choice if you want both flavour and manageable strength.
Background and name
Hot Banana is a development of the classic banana chilli pods that have been grown in North America for decades. It has become a popular variety worldwide thanks to its mildness and versatility. Said to be the same variety as Hungarian Yellow Wax Hot
Appearance and growth habit
The plant reaches 60–90 cm and crops heavily. The pods are long and slightly curved, often 12–15 cm, and ripen from light green to yellow and then orange or red.
Estimated Scoville heat
Around 5,000 – 10,000 SHU
Flavour and uses
The flavour is mild, fruity and slightly tangy – ideal if you want chilli without scorching your tongue. The pods are also very juicy, which makes them excellent for stuffing or baking in gratins.
Ways to use Hot Banana
-
Stuff with cheese and bake in the oven
-
Use in tacos, wraps or on pizza
-
Slice fresh over a salad or pickle them
How to grow Hot Banana
Hot Banana belongs to Capsicum annuum. Sow your chilli seeds between February and April. A hardy, fast-growing variety that does well in pots and outdoors.
Hot Banana is a chilli for everyone – easy to grow, mild and delicious in all kinds of cooking.
Price is for 6 chilli seeds
Sow in moist seed compost or peat pellets and keep warm, at around 25–30°C for best germination. The compost should be moist but not wet. A propagator helps to keep the humidity up. Once the seedlings have grown a little and developed their second pair of leaves, you can lower the temperature to around 20°C and move them out of the propagator. They do well on a sunny windowsill, in a greenhouse and outdoors in summer. For best results, soak the seeds in Growhelper for 12–24 hours before sowing.
