Small red chili pepper plant with ripe fruit

How to Grow Small Red Chili Pepper From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

This small red chile is a fiery Thai-type pepper that produces masses of slim, upright pods ripening to glossy bright red. At roughly 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units it is very hot, many times stronger than a jalapeno, and the compact bushy plants are incredibly productive. It is the perfect pepper for anyone who wants bold heat for fresh cooking, drying, and hot sauces.

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

This is the quick guide to Small Red Chili. 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 to 10 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 light stake for the fruit-laden plants. Pick pods green from about 75 days, or leave them to ripen fiery red for full heat.

Best tip

This small red Thai-type chile is very hot and very productive, and it flourishes in heat and full sun. Start seeds indoors early and wait until nights stay above 55F to transplant. The compact bushy plants hold dozens of slim upright peppers that ripen fiery red, and they crop heavily in long warm summers. Keep the plants evenly watered, and handle the ripe pods carefully because their heat is intense.

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 maturity~75 days green; ~95 red

Height18 to 24 inches

Spacing18 to 24 inches apart

WaterRegular and deep; keep evenly moist

Uses

This small red chile brings serious heat to the kitchen. Use the slim peppers fresh, sliced thin into Thai curries, stir-fries, and noodle dishes, or dry the abundant red pods to crush into chili flakes and blend into hot sauces and pastes. A little goes a long way, so add gradually. The plants are so prolific that a single one supplies a season of fiery cooking.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a small red chili pepper take to grow?

These small Thai-type chiles are usually pickable green around 75 days after transplanting and ripen fiery red about 2 to 3 weeks later. Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last frost, since they love a long, warm season.

How hot is a small red chili pepper?

Very hot. These Thai-type chiles run about 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville heat units, many times hotter than a jalapeno. A single small pepper can heat a whole dish, so use them sparingly.

How productive is a small red chili plant?

Extremely. The compact bushy plants set dozens of slim upright peppers at once and keep cropping all season in warm weather, so a single plant can supply a household with plenty of fresh and dried chiles.

What are small red chili peppers used for?

Use them fresh, sliced thin into Thai curries, stir-fries, and noodle dishes, or dry the red pods to crush into chili flakes and blend into hot sauces and pastes. Their intense heat means a little goes a long way.

Ready to grow your own? These small red chili seeds give you prolific, fiery Thai-type peppers all season. For the full step-by-step, see our complete pepper growing guide linked at the top of this page.

Hot Pepper Small Red Chili SeedsHeirloom, non-GMOHeirloom Small Red Chili — petite, potent pods perfect for drying whole.

Price$4.99

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Want more peppers? These value packs pair the Small Red Chili with other sweet and hot varieties:

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Pepper Seeds Variety Pack13 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.