Greendoor - Chinese 5 Color – Chili Seeds

• A spectacle of colour: The fruits ripen in stages, from purple through cream, yellow and orange to a brilliant red.
• Compact growth: Ideal for urban gardening, balcony boxes and growing on a windowsill.
• High ornamental value: The dark foliage provides an elegant contrast to the colourful, upright fruits.

Plant characteristics

The Chinese 5 Color remains fairly small but is extremely vigorous:

• Growth habit: Grows very compactly, bushy and branches early. The stems are often dark purple in colour.
• Height: Reaches a height of approx. 40 to 60 cm. It retains its shape very well and usually requires no support.
• Leaves: Dark green with a purple tinge, which makes the plant very attractive even without fruit.
• Flowers: Beautiful purple flowers that appear in abundance and herald the arrival of the colourful berries.

The Fruit

The small pods stand on the plant like colourful candles:

• Shape: Conical, tapering to a point and about 2 to 3 cm long. They grow upright.
• Colour progression: All five stages are usually found simultaneously on a single plant: violet, ivory, yellow, orange and red.
• Texture: Smooth, glossy skin with a crisp bite.

Flavour & heat level

Don’t underestimate this ‘ornamental chilli’ – it packs a considerable heat!

• Heat level: 7 to 9 (hot to very hot). On the Scoville scale, it ranges between 30,000 and 50,000 SHU.
• Flavour: The taste is clean, fresh and slightly tart, similar to many Thai varieties. It has a direct, piercing heat.

Uses

Thanks to its size and vibrant colours, it is extremely versatile:

• Fresh splashes of colour: Cut into fine rings, it adds not only heat but also vibrant colours to salads, soups or Asian noodle dishes.
• Pickling: The colourful pods look fantastic pickled in clear vinegar and make a great gift from your own garden.
• Drying: Due to their size, the fruits dry very quickly and can be easily processed into colourful chilli flakes.

Technical details

• Species: Capsicum annuum
• Contents: 10+ seeds
• Heat level: 7–9 (Hot)
• Sowing: February to April (pre-sow indoors at 20–25 °C)
• Maturation time: approx. 75–85 days
• Location: Full sun; the more sun the plant gets, the more intense the purple hues of the leaves and fruits become.