Fish Pepper

This pepper is an African-American heirloom that predates the 1870s; the Fish Pepper is bright in color and crunchy, with a hot and bold flavor. In the late 1800s, the Fish Pepper was widely grown in the Philadelphia and Baltimore area. Fish Pepper plants have beautiful green and white variegated foliage with pendant fruits that are 2-3 inches long. When the fruits ripen, they change in color from cream with green stripes to orange with brown stripes, and then eventually to an all red eating pepper. Traditionally, the fish pepper was used in oyster and crab houses around the Chesapeake Bay. Rated as 3 on a heat scale of 1-5, the Fish Pepper is also perfect for mild-medium salsas.