About this variety
Jalapeño Azabache is an open-pollinated jalapeño (Capsicum annuum, family Solanaceae) whose glossy pods ripen from green to deep chocolate-brown instead of red. Heat is medium, close to a standard jalapeño, with a smoky flavour. The packet holds 5 seeds.
Fruit and plant
- Slightly elongated, egg-shaped pods 5–7.5 cm (2–3 in) long with smooth skin
- Ripen from green to deep brown
- Medium-height plants
- Used in fresh salsas, cheese-stuffed poppers and Tex-Mex dishes
Sow into soil at 18–35 °C
Start the seed indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost. Seedlings appear in about 8–9 days when the soil is 25–35 °C; 18–35 °C is the soil range that suits pepper germination, so keep the tray inside it until the first leaves show. Cover the seed with about 6 mm of seed-starting mix.
These figures are typical for the species (emergence was measured with seed about 13 mm deep); they are not a test of this packet.
Planting out
Transplant once frost has passed, 45–60 cm (18–24 in) apart, in full sun and well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Water regularly but avoid waterlogging.
When to expect brown fruit
Pods mature about 90–110 days after transplanting; the brown colour comes with full ripeness.
What you get: 5 seeds per packet. Pepper seed usually stays usable for about 2 years when kept cool, dark and dry, so you can sow part of the packet and keep the rest. That is a general figure for the species; we do not state a germination percentage for this packet.
FAQ
Can I save seed?
It is sold as open-pollinated, so seed saved from it can be sown again.
How does it differ from a common jalapeño?
Mainly in colour and flavour: the pods ripen deep brown rather than red and taste smoky; the heat is about the same.




