Hot Pepper, Shishito

Shishito is a Japanese pepper that's super trendy in restaurants and farmers markets, but this is also a pepper you can absolutely grow in your own garden.  We love them blistered in a cast iron skillet with some EVOO, sprinkled with flaky salt and a squeeze of lemon.  Y-U-M.  Typically mild, but one or two might have a tiny bit of heat.  Compared to the Jalapeno, Shishitos are 13 to 160 times milder.  Yep, you read that right.  Shishitos are NOT HOT.  Flavor-wise, their smoky flavor is enhanced when grilled or roasted. 

Plants are easy to grow, early to mature, and yield a heavy crop of fruits.  Shishitos grow to 30" tall and have thin-walled, 3-4" fruits that are known for their slender, wrinkled appearance. It has a bulbous end to the pepper that some believe looks like the head of a lion (Shishi is the Japanese word for lion).  

Almost always harvested and used green, but eventually turns orange and red with sweeter flavor.  Great for containers! 

• Days to Harvest: 75 (green), 90 (red)
• Companion Plants: Basil, Cilantro, Cosmos, Marigolds, Onions, Tomatoes
  
• Heirloom, Open Pollinated (OP)
• Plant Spacing: 12 - 18"