- Heirloom
- Medium
- 80 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- 6,000–23,000 SHU (estimated)
- Green
Serrano Tampiqueño
Serrano Tampiqueno · Tampiqueno Serrano
Heirloom medium pepper from Mexico. Sandia Seed describes the flavor as crisp and bright; Tomato Growers Supply says the heat rarely overpowers food. Ready in about 80 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 27, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Heat
- Medium 6,000–23,000 SHU (estimated)
- Pod
- Elongated <1 oz (6–12 g) (estimated)
Small, compact pods 50 to 64 mm long (True Leaf Market 2 inches, Sandia Seed 2-1/2 inches; Tomato Growers Supply says 3 to 4 inches), which True Leaf Market likens in appearance to a small jalapeno; green ripening to bright red, hot at both stages.
- Species
- Capsicum annuum
- Days to harvest
- 80 days (estimated) from transplant · Midseason
- Plant height
- 2–3 ft (61–91 cm) Medium height
- Spacing
- 18 × 30 in (46 × 76 cm) (estimated)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Open ground · Container
- Container growing
- Balcony friendly min. 5 gal (19 L) pot
- Difficulty
- Easy-moderate (estimated) 2/5
- Skin
-
- Green
- Red
Heat
Scoville heat units
Medium
Serrano Tampiqueño Scoville heat units: 6,000–23,000 SHU (estimated)
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
“Sandia Seed describes the flavor as crisp and bright; Tomato Growers Supply says the heat rarely overpowers food.”
Growing calendar
80 (estimated) days from transplant Midseason
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 7–9 (estimated) weeks before your last frost date. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code →
Disease resistance
- PVY Potato virus Y
Uses & tags
- Fresh & salads
- Sauce & paste
- Canning
- Roasting
- High yield
- Hot climate
Origin
Serrano Tampiqueño is the named heirloom behind most serrano seed packets in US catalogs, sold under this name by five shops. True Leaf Market calls it the pride of Guanajuato, Mexico, and lists it as an open-pollinated Capsicum annuum at 6,000 to 23,000 Scoville heat units, 70 to 80 days from transplant, on plants 24 to 36 inches tall with resistance to potato virus Y. Other sellers put the heat higher: Sandia Seed 15,000 to 25,000, Eden Brothers 10,000 to 25,000, Pepper Joe's 8,000 to 22,000, and Tomato Growers Supply warns that heat varies from plant to plant. Every figure stays inside the medium band, which is also where UF/IFAS places the serrano type (10,000 to 25,000). Sandia Seed gives the origin as New Mexico rather than Mexico; the record follows the sellers that name Mexico.
Sources
- Pepper Seeds - Hot - Serrano Tampiqueno — True Leaf Market ↗
- Serrano Tampiqueño Seeds — Sandia Seed Company ↗
- Serrano Tampiqueno Pepper — Tomato Growers Supply ↗
- Hot Pepper Seeds - Serrano Tampiqueno — Eden Brothers ↗
- Tampiqueno Serrano Pepper Seeds — Pepper Joe's ↗
- Peppers Ranked by Heat — UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions ↗
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked daily- Pepper Joe'sSeeds
10+ Seeds
Check availability
$2.25Checked Oct 16, 2026 - True Leaf MarketSeeds
1 g Packet
Check availability
$2.99Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Eden BrothersSeeds
Packet
Check availability
$3.14Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds
Pack (20 seeds)
Check availability
$3.35Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Sandia Seed CompanySeeds
30 seeds
Check availability
$3.99Checked Oct 16, 2026
Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Oct 16, 2026.
All photos
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Ripe Serrano Tampiqueño pepper pods on the plant -
Serrano Tampiqueño pepper plant with ripe pods -
A ripe Serrano Tampiqueño pepper pod held in a gardener's hand -
Freshly picked Serrano Tampiqueño peppers -
A Serrano Tampiqueño pepper cut open lengthwise beside a whole pod, showing the wall and seed cavity
Questions
How do you grow a Serrano Tampiqueño plant?
A Serrano Tampiqueño plant grows 2–3 ft (61–91 cm) tall. Space plants 18 in (46 cm) apart in rows 30 in (76 cm) apart (estimated). Start seed indoors 7–9 weeks before your last frost (estimated); it germinates in 7–10 days. It needs full sun.
How long does Serrano Tampiqueño take to mature?
Serrano Tampiqueño is ready in about 80 days from transplant.
How hot is Serrano Tampiqueño?
Serrano Tampiqueño sits in the medium range, about 6,000–23,000 Scoville heat units. Figures vary between seed sellers, so treat them as a band rather than a measurement.
Can Serrano Tampiqueño be grown in a container?
Yes — Serrano Tampiqueño grows well in a container of at least 19 L (5 gal).
Is Serrano Tampiqueño resistant to disease?
Serrano Tampiqueño carries documented resistance to Potato virus Y.
