Information: the habanero species is thought to originate from the Yucatan region of Mexico. Although the name “habanero” can be translated as “someone or something from Havana”, the plant only grows in isolation on the island of Cuba. It is still grown mainly on the Yucatan Peninsula, but here it is predominantly the orange and yellow habanero varieties that are cultivated. The red variety usually originates from the Caribbean or the southern US.

Habanero Mexican orange chilli is a traditional, very hot variety of chilli from Mexico; it is about 50 times hotter than jalapeño chilli. The thin-walled fruits are round, wrinkled and grow to about 5 cm long and 3 cm wide. Their shape is similar to that of a mini pepper. They have such an intensely fruity flavour that many other types of chillies find it very difficult to compete with habanero pepper. Their tropical, fruity flavour makes them an essential ingredient in any salsa, and means that they can be paired particularly well with tropical fruits. The colour changes from pale green to orange. The plants produce large quantities of medium-sized orange fruits.

Care: germination temperature ranges from 22°C to 28°C (germination period: 12-21 days); therefore, the use of a greenhouse and a heating mat is recommended. Plants require fresh, well-fertilized, permeable soil and do not tolerate watering. They should be planted in a sunny, sheltered spot with at least 6 hours of sunlight - preferably more. As the plants have a particularly long ripening period, it is advisable to grow them in pots so that you can easily bring them in when the temperature drops below 12°C during the day, allowing all the fruit to ripen. To store the plant overwintered, cut it back by 20 cm after harvesting and place it in a bright spot with a minimum temperature of 15 °C. The plant will then be ready for harvesting.