- Heirloom
- Medium
- 95 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- 15,000–30,000 SHU
- Yellow
Lemon Drop
Aji Lemon · Kellu Uchu
Heirloom medium pepper from Peru. Bright yellow pods with a clear citrus note carried alongside the heat. Ready in about 95 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 19, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Heat
- Medium 15,000–30,000 SHU
- Pod
- Elongated <1 oz (5–10 g) (estimated)
Conical pods about 13 by 64 mm with a crinkled, wrinkled skin, thin-walled.
- Species
- Capsicum baccatum
- Days to harvest
- 95 days (estimated) from transplant · Mid-late
- Plant height
- 2–3 ft (60–90 cm) (estimated) Medium height
- Spacing
- 18 × 24 in (46 × 61 cm) (estimated)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Open ground · Container
- Container growing
- Balcony friendly min. 5 gal (20 L) pot (estimated)
- Difficulty
- Moderate (estimated) 3/5
- Skin
-
- Yellow
Heat
Scoville heat units
Medium
Lemon Drop Scoville heat units: 15,000–30,000 SHU
Noticeable heat. Mucho Nacho, the jumbo jalapeño, sits at the bottom of this band and Hungarian Yellow Wax near the middle. Hot enough to lead a salsa, mild enough to eat whole.
Flavor
“Bright yellow pods with a clear citrus note carried alongside the heat.”
Growing calendar
95 (estimated) days from transplant Mid-late
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 8–10 (estimated) weeks before your last frost date. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code →
Disease resistance
No documented disease resistances — protect this variety with good airflow and crop rotation.
Uses & tags
- Sauce & paste
- Drying
- Fresh & salads
- High flavor
- Container star
- Rare collector
- Hot climate
Origin
Lemon Drop is a Peruvian chile, one of the aji types grown along the coast and in the valleys, where it is used fresh and dried in the country's kitchens. The Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions compendium records it through Seed Savers Exchange as an heirloom Capsicum baccatum cultivar maturing in about 100 days, bearing bright yellow, conical, crinkled fruit roughly 13 by 64 mm, hot and citrus flavoured. The citrus note is not a metaphor for the colour: it is the reason the variety has spread beyond Peru.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked daily- Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds
Pack (20 seeds)
Check availability
$2.95Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Pepper Joe'sSeeds
10+ Seeds
Check availability
$3.25Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Botanical InterestsSeeds
15 seeds
Check availability
$3.49Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Pepper Joe'sLive plant
1 Seedling
Check availability
$9.49Checked Oct 16, 2026
Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Oct 16, 2026.
All photos
Questions
How do you grow a Lemon Drop plant?
A Lemon Drop plant grows 2–3 ft (60–90 cm) tall (estimated). Space plants 18 in (46 cm) apart in rows 24 in (61 cm) apart (estimated). Start seed indoors 8–10 weeks before your last frost (estimated). It needs full sun.
How long does Lemon Drop take to mature?
Lemon Drop is ready in about 95 days from transplant.
How hot is Lemon Drop?
Lemon Drop sits in the medium range, about 15,000–30,000 Scoville heat units. Figures vary between seed sellers, so treat them as a band rather than a measurement.
Can Lemon Drop be grown in a container?
Yes — Lemon Drop grows well in a container of at least 20 L (5 gal).
Is Lemon Drop resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Lemon Drop.
