Chili Pepper "Black Heart"

The varieties "Black Hungarian" and "Red Cherry Chili" were crossbred in 2009 and selected since. Chili "Black Heart" shows purple flowers and leaves that resemble "Black Hungarian", while seeds are more similar to "Red Cherry Chili". The good aroma of both varieties has been preserved.

Plants can grow up to 1.2 m. Flowers are purple. Young leaves show purple veins, which may turn dark green later on. The heart-shaped fruits are about 2-3 cm in size and mature from black to red. The relatively thick-walled chilies are medium spicy to spicy, in a sunny stand even more (severity level 5-6). They can be used for pickles and fillings as well as drying.

Recommendations for cultivation:
Propagation starts in a warm location in Mid-February (e.g. on windowsills, but no direct sun). For chilies and peppers, separating the seedling from seed coat can be difficult sometimes. To avoid this, soak the seeds in water for 24 hours and place them approx. 1 cm deep into potting soil afterwards. After the second or third pair of leaves developed, plants are large enough to prick them into small pots, also in pairs and so that the bottom leaves do not touch the ground. Fertilize for the first time and water them well. It is advisable to water the plants rather seldom but thoroughly. If plants lose too many flowers, it may be due to overly dry air. At the beginning of May, plants can be put outdoors during the day, preferably in shade. Plants can be planted into the open in larger pots or directly into garden beds after the last frosts. 

You may shake plants to support pollination since only pollinated flowers bring fruits. Fruits are ripest when dark red or red, but already develop their fruity sweetness when black. In a sheltered location, last fruits may ripe until November.