Hot Pepper is an annual grown for its fruit, ready to harvest about 75 days after planting. It's hardy across USDA zones 2 through 11 and stands up to deer. Its summer flowers are a modest draw for honeybees and native bees, even though the fruit is the prize. As a nightshade, give it a fresh bed each year — away from where its relatives just grew — so the soil-borne pests and diseases of the family never get a foothold.
Zones
2-11
pH Range
4.5-7
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
75
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What Hot Pepper is
Hot Pepper grows as an annual and reaches around three feet at maturity. It blooms white in summer. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Hot Pepper
Hot Pepper grows in USDA zones 2 through 11 and is ready to harvest about 75 days after planting. Hot Pepper does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 7, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,500 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 60 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
2-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.5 - 7
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
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Drainage
well (dry spells)
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Frost Tolerance
46.4°F
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Days to Maturity
75 days
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GDD Required
1500+
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Mature Height
3 ft
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Frost-Free Days
60+
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Start the season right
Plant hot pepper in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Hot Pepper prefers pH 4.5 to 7 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at maturity
Hot Pepper is ready about 75 days after planting (University Extension production guides). Pick when the fruit is full-colored and parts easily from the stem.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — hot pepper isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Hot Pepper offers low value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Hot Pepper thrives
On hardiness alone, hot pepper grows across most of the country — its range (USDA zones 2 through 11) is unusually wide. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 2–11·Where Hot Pepper growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Hot Pepper can grow in these states:
See if Hot Pepper will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether hot pepper actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Hot Pepper in my zone?
Hot Pepper grows in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 11 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
How long does Hot Pepper take to grow?
Hot Pepper is ready to harvest about 75 days after planting (University Extension production guides). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant Hot Pepper?
Most growers plant hot pepper after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 60-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Hot Pepper need?
Hot Pepper needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Hot Pepper need?
Hot Pepper prefers soil pH 4.5 to 7, on well-drained ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Hot Pepper attract pollinators?
Yes — hot pepper's flowers are a modest nectar source for honeybees and native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Hot Pepper safe for pets?
Hot Pepper is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.