Grandma Kirksey Pepper
Item Details
This stunning ornamental pepper makes a splash in both borders and containers. Bushy plants produce a dense canopy of dark-purple leaves and myriad small, conical peppers that ripen from purple to orange to dark red. The peppers measure about 3/4" long and stand erect on the plant; they are edible but very pungent and somewhat bitter. ‘Grandma Kirksey’ is named for Willie Jane (Pulley) Kirksey, who received the variety during the Great Depression and grew the peppers in her flower beds.
- 100 days from transplant
- Organic
- From the Collection
- Colorful fruits grow to 3/4-1 inch
- Bushy plants have dark purple leaves and small conical peppers
- Hot pepper
This variety works for:
- Hot sauce
- Salsa
- Pickling
This pepper is: HOT
Wear rubber gloves when processing hot peppers and do not touch your eyes. If you are sensitive to the heat, make sure to wear a mask over your mouth and nose and protect your eyes.
Try adding this pepper to salsa recipes or pepper jellies.
You can also try making your own hot sauce with these peppers. Sauté them with olive oil, garlic, onion and salt, and after about 4 minutes add 2 cups of water. Heat the mixture for 20 minutes and then allow it to cool to room temperature before pureeing it in a food processor and adding vinegar.
Growing Instructions
Instructions - Sow seeds indoors ¼” deep. Peppers germinate best in warm soil, so gentle bottom heat may be helpful until seedlings emerge. Wait to transplant outdoors until soil is warm.
- Start Indoors: 8 weeks before last frost
- Germination: 14 Days
- Plant Outdoors: 12-24” Apart
- Light: Full Sun
Ratings & Reviews
3 reviews
Edible Showstopper Hot Pepper
by Foster Hill Farm
One of our favorite trials that we grew this summer. Plant has interesting eggplant colored leaves and a controlled habit making it great for ornamental use. Everyone who walked into the trial area was intrigued by the plant. We had a small stake in them but they would have done fine with out it. The multicolor peppers were hot with heat that is similar to a chili pepper. They start out a beautiful lavender color and ripen to red.
Hardy, beautiful and bountiful!
by Ewitt
Planted these last summer, although slow to start, they became very hardy and abundant! Strikingly beautiful dark purple leaves with purple to yellow to orange to red peppers. Reminded me of Christmas bulbs on a tree. The pepper does contain some heat but a floral note as well. Had a lot of intrigue and positive comments as I planted some as ornamental "bushes" in my front flowering garden. They produced a lot of peppers and I dried what I could not use immediately. Will be planting again this summer!
Unexpected Superstar
by Joss
These were my favorite annual last year. They were pest and disease free, the foliage was striking, and the peppers were colorful and abundant. As the season progressed and they got more shade, they seemed unbothered, even as other annuals declined. I did no maintenance other than a one trim when they got a bit taller than the flowers behind them. I am in Zone 7b, high humidity, heavy clay.