Cowhorn Hot Pepper

Be sure to check out our Pepper Growing Guide to learn how to successfully grow peppers at home.

Cowhorn Hot Pepper is an open-pollinated pepper variety with medium, but not overwhelming heat. It has a Scoville heat rating of 2,500 to 5,000 which makes it a perfect pepper to add a slight bit of heat to your favorite dish. They get their name because the fruits are elongated and curved, shaped like a cow horn. They have a similar appearance to a cayenne pepper, although slightly thicker and longer. Cowhorn Hot Pepper will grow up to 10" long and fruits will turn from green to bright red at maturity. This is a great pepper for making hot sauce and dried red pepper flakes.

Peppers are in the nightshade family along with tomatoes and eggplant. Plants in the nightshade family are susceptible to blossom end rot, which is a result of a calcium deficiency. To prevent or alleviate this problem, apply pelleted gypsum at the base of the plant at bloom set. Peppers do best when transplanted, as the germination time can be longer than most vegetable seed. Peppers grow very well in our heavy-duty seed starting trays. Plants should be started 4-6 weeks before the intended outdoor planting date.

If conditions outside are favorable, transplants may be planted directly from our 162 cell trays. If conditions are still too cold for planting peppers, transplants may be “stepped-up” to 4″ pots to allow more room to grow. Peppers can produce heavy fruits and will require some form of support to keep the plant upright. We recommend using the Florida Weave trellising technique that involves using stakes and twine along the row. This ensures that plants and fruits stay off the ground, reducing the possibility of disease and keeping fruits clean.

Cowhorn Hot Pepper Planting Information

Planting Method: transplant

When to Plant: after last frost

Planting Depth: 1/4″

Seed Spacing: 2′

Row Spacing: 3-4′

Days to Maturity: 90

Disease Resistance: None