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| Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program
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'Fish' Peppers |
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| Sub-Category: |
Hot
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| Sub-Category 2: |
| | Description: |
African-American, hot and ornamental heirloom. 18- to 24-inch plants have variegated green and white foliage and bear pendant, 2- to 3-inch by 3/4-inch fruit that ripen from cream with green stripes to orange with brown stripes to all red. Traditionally used in oyster and crab houses around the Chesapeake Bay.
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| Days To Maturity: |
80
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| Seed Sources: |
Seed Savers Exchange - updated in 2014
Totally Tomato - updated in 2011
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| Rating Summary |
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Overall: (4.7 Stars)
Taste: (4.7 Stars)
Yield: (4.6 Stars)
Ease/Reliability: (4.6 Stars) |
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| Reviews |
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Login to share your Review of Fish.
Number of Reviews: 9
KEY: O=Overall Rating, T=Taste, Y=Yield, E=Ease
Reviewed on 10/10/2025 by
Cafolla
- A novice gardener
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 Overall
Taste
 Yield
Ease
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Monroe, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
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| 7/28 - one red - a little sweet at the beginning, HOT!!! later; good flavor covered up by how hot it is |
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Reviewed on 09/29/2025 by
Tompkins MGs
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
 Yield
Ease
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Tompkins, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
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| The variegated adult leaves made the plants very attractive. By the beginning of September, the plants held a lot of green fruits, but few had ripened to red. Quite hot. |
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Reviewed on 09/24/2025 by
CCE Rockland
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Rockland, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Clay
Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
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| Attrative upright plant with white and green foliage later in the season. Harvested the peppers when still red because the yield was low and the season closing down.\r\nGood, hot (but not too hot) taste. |
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Reviewed on 09/19/2025 by
Jessica Luse
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Saratoga, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Not Sure
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
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| Prolific grower, pretty plant in the garden, very good tasting |
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Reviewed on 09/06/2025 by
Schenectady CCE
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Schenectady, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
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| Excellent yield and heat. Some of the leaves are variegated which is normal, not a disease. |
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Reviewed on 01/22/2008 by
ant
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Logan, Illinois, United States
Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| I've grown this variety for several years. For me it has been easy - yielding well when attended to and not so well when ignored. That said it has always yielded reasonably well. I like these best when ripened, dried and then ground. The ground chile is great in soups and Mexican dishes. It has a distinctive flavor that I can't describe but one that I like. |
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Reviewed on 01/05/2008 by
mrmcgregor
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Cortland, New York, United States
Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| Fish is the most appropriate name for these, for they definitely work best in gumbos and chowders. I've grown them for 5 or 6 years now, and they've been consistent producers. Usually they can be dried on the plant - pulled before frost, hung in a dark ventilated space, and picked off as they dry. Once dry they'll keep for years. The heat is quite variable, and that adds to the fun. Some years - very hot; others - no sweat. |
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Reviewed on 09/25/2007 by
Corbin
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40')
Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
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| Initially we had problems with impure seed and bad strains for the fish pepper. Get seed from reliable distributer. We obtained good seed this year with excellent results..Easy to grow. Self supporting even when heavy with fruit. When many hot peppers are just hot, the Fish pepper is fruity with bright spice flavors. Excellent used both fresh and dried. Five plants produced 1 1/2 gallon of peppers.. |
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Reviewed on 01/07/2007 by
Penelope
- An experienced gardener
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Overall
Taste
Yield
Ease
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Richland, South Carolina, United States
Frost Free Season: More than 203 days
Soil Texture: Loam
Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet
Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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| This is a beautiful, productive, and fun pepper to grow. Kids love the striped pepper pods, and its history is interesting to most adults. Plants have a tendency to fall over when small and should be staked to insure upright growth. It doesn't like having wet feet, so don't put it a low place in the garden. |
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Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners is a citizen science program, © 2004-2025, All Rights Reserved
Cornell Garden Based Learning, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Horticulture Section
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