- Heirloom
- Medium
- 90 days to maturity (from transplant)
- 10,000–23,000 SHU
- Red
Peter
Peter Pepper · Chile Willie
Heirloom medium pepper from United States. Cayenne-level heat with a straightforward flavour; the interest here is the pod, not the palate. Ready in about 90 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Oct 2, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Heat
- Medium 10,000–23,000 SHU
- Pod
- Elongated 0–1 oz (8–15 g) (estimated)
Wrinkled pods with a pronounced constriction near the tip, the reason the variety is grown as a novelty, with thick, fleshy walls.
- Species
- Capsicum annuum
- Days to harvest
- 90 days from transplant · Mid-late
- Plant height
- 2–3 ft (61–91 cm) 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
-
- Red
- Orange
Heat
Scoville heat units
Medium
Peter Scoville heat units: 10,000–23,000 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
“Cayenne-level heat with a straightforward flavour; the interest here is the pod, not the palate.”
Growing calendar
90 days from transplant Mid-late
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 6–8 (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
- Drying
- Sauce & paste
- Heirloom classic
- Gift worthy
- Novelty color
- Container star
Origin
Peter is an American heirloom grown as much for the shape of the pod as for the kitchen: the fruit is wrinkled and constricted near the tip in a way that has given the variety a nickname and a permanent place in novelty seed catalogues. True Leaf Market lists the red form at 10,000 to 23,000 Scoville heat units over 85 to 100 days from transplant, which puts it in serrano territory rather than anything extreme. An orange form is sold alongside the red one; it differs in colour, not in habit.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked dailyLinks may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Oct 16, 2026.
All photos
Questions
How do you grow a Peter plant?
A Peter plant grows 2–3 ft (61–91 cm) tall. Space plants 18 in (46 cm) apart in rows 24 in (61 cm) apart (estimated). Start seed indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost (estimated); it germinates in 7–10 days. It needs full sun.
How long does Peter take to mature?
Peter is ready in about 90 days from transplant.
How hot is Peter?
Peter sits in the medium range, about 10,000–23,000 Scoville heat units. Figures vary between seed sellers, so treat them as a band rather than a measurement.
Can Peter be grown in a container?
Yes — Peter grows well in a container of at least 20 L (5 gal).
Is Peter resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Peter.
