Hot Red Cherry pepper plant with ripe fruit

How to Grow Hot Red Cherry Pepper From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

The Hot Red Cherry is a compact, heavy-yielding pepper named for its small, round, cherry-shaped fruit. The peppers ripen to a glossy deep red and carry a mild to moderate heat of about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville heat units, a gentle kick similar to a mild jalapeno. Thick-walled and crisp, they are a classic choice for pickling whole and for stuffing. Easy to grow and wonderfully productive, this is a fun heirloom for any home garden.

Ready to grow your own? Shop Hot Pepper Red Cherry Seeds from Organo Republic.

This is the quick guide to Hot Red Cherry. For the full step-by-step on starting seeds, transplanting, feeding, and troubleshooting peppers, see our complete guide to growing peppers from seed.

Quick start

Start seeds indoors about 8 weeks before your last frost, kept warm at 75 to 85F. Harden the plants off, then transplant them out 18 to 24 inches apart once nights stay above 55F. Give full sun, steady water, and a small cage or stake since the plants get top-heavy with round fruit. Expect the first peppers in about 75 to 80 days, and let them ripen to glossy deep red for the fullest flavor.

Best tip

Hot Red Cherry is an easy, productive pepper that rewards a little patience at harvest. Start seeds indoors about 8 weeks before your last frost and set plants out once nights stay above 55F. The round, cherry-sized fruit is prolific, so plan to pick often to keep the plant producing. Let peppers ripen fully to deep red for the best flavor, and because the plants can get top-heavy with fruit, give them a small cage or stake in windy spots.

At a glance

Botanical nameCapsicum annuum

Plant typeWarm-season annual

USDA zones3 to 12 (grown as an annual)

SunFull sun (6 to 8+ hours)

Days to maturity75 to 80 days to ripe red

Height18 to 30 inches

Spacing18 to 24 inches apart

WaterRegular and deep; keep evenly moist

Uses

Hot Red Cherry peppers are a pickling classic. Their round, thick-walled fruit holds up perfectly whole in a jar, stuffed with cheese, or sliced into rings for sandwiches, antipasto, and pizza. With moderate heat they add a pleasant kick without overwhelming a dish, and they are also good fresh in salsas or roasted. Pack them whole for spicy pickled cherry peppers that keep for months.

Frequently asked questions

How long do Hot Red Cherry peppers take to grow?

Expect about 75 to 80 days from transplant to the first ripe red peppers. Start seeds indoors roughly 8 weeks before your last frost, then set plants out after the soil warms and nights stay above 55F.

How hot is a Hot Red Cherry pepper?

It has mild to moderate heat, around 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville heat units, roughly on par with a milder jalapeno. That gentle kick is why it is such a popular pepper for pickling whole.

When should I pick Hot Red Cherry peppers?

The small, round, cherry-shaped fruit is best picked when it has ripened to a glossy deep red, about 1 to 1.5 inches across. You can harvest them green, but full red gives the sweetest flavor and best color for pickling.

What are Hot Red Cherry peppers best used for?

They are a pickling favorite. Their round, thick-walled shape is perfect packed whole in jars, stuffed with cheese or prosciutto, or sliced into rings for sandwiches, pizza, and antipasto. They also work well fresh in salsas.

Ready to grow your own? Heirloom Hot Red Cherry seeds give you loads of round, glossy red peppers that are perfect for pickling and stuffing. For the full step-by-step, see our complete pepper growing guide linked at the top of this page.

Cherry Pepper Seeds – Hot Red, Non-GMO HeirloomHeirloom, non-GMOHeirloom Hot Red Cherry — round, cherry-shaped pepper ideal for pickling.

Price$4.99

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Want more peppers? These value packs pair Hot Red Cherry with other varieties:

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Pepper Seeds Variety Pack – Non-GMO Heirloom13 super-hot varietiesThirteen fiery chilis for heat lovers, from habanero to the hottest peppers we carry.

Price$19.99Starting at$16.99

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By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.