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Bulgarian Carrot Pepper Seeds

Scientific name Capsicum annuum L.

About this variety

Bulgarian Carrot pepper seeds grow into upright, erect plants reaching 19–24 in, bearing red fruit about 3.5 in long (90 mm). Heat category: Hot. It is especially suited to fresh hot-pepper use, pickling, sauces, drying, and seed saving. Maturity is 60-69 Days.About Bulgarian CarrotBulgarian Carrot is a hot chile pepper grown as Capsicum annuum L. Plants have an...

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Alliance of Native Seedkeepers  |  SKU: HPP39
$150 USD $200
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$1.50, regularly $2.00. The sale price is already applied and carries into checkout. No code is needed. Coupon codes do not combine with this offer.

Pickup available at Bertie County Seeds

Usually ready in 2-4 days

At a glance

The facts most gardeners need first

View the full variety record
50 minimum seeds per packet
Gardener experience

Hard

Germination difficulty

Moderate

Germination time

7–14 Days at 75–90 °F seed-zone soil temperature

  • Germination
    7–14 Daysa seed-zone soil temperature of 75–90 °F
  • Maturity
    60-69 DaysCounted from transplanting to the principal harvest stage under suitable conditions.
  • Sun
    Full sun
  • Support and spacing
    Stake recommended · space 18 in · rows 24 in
  • Growth habit
    Upright or erect · Annual · 19–24 in tall
  • Best use
    Fresh hot-pepper use, pickling, sauces, drying, and seed saving
Secure checkout Details
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Triple-tested seed qualityRegular quality and germination checks support every packet.

We regularly test seed quality and germination as lots move through storage and packing. We stand behind the seed we send and want customers to contact us when a packet does not perform as reasonably expected.

1-year seed warrantyCoverage begins on the date of purchase.

When properly stored, planted, and cared for, we guarantee reasonable germination and true-to-type growth for one year from the date of purchase. Conditions outside our control—including extreme weather, pests, unsuitable storage, and gardener error—are excluded. Contact us when something is not right so we can review the situation and work toward a replacement, refund, or another fair resolution.

Non-GMO / BE seed policyWe do not buy or sell genetically engineered or bioengineered seed.

Every seed variety we sell is non-GMO.

USDA’s National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard defines bioengineered foods as containing detectable genetic material modified through in vitro recombinant DNA methods in ways not achievable through conventional breeding or found in nature.

  • Hybrid means parent lines were conventionally crossed; hybrid does not mean GMO.
  • Heirloom and open-pollinated describe how a variety is maintained and reproduced.
  • Organic certification is separate and is shown only when verified for the individual product.

Read how we define heirloom, hybrid, and GMO/BE seed · USDA BE Standard

Packed in Colerain, North CarolinaPrepared in our seed room for gardens across the country.

Seeds are packed and shipped from Colerain, North Carolina. Our packets use forestry-certified paper, and we use recyclable paper mailers where appropriate. AONSK is also a 1% for the Planet partner while continuing to reduce waste in packing and fulfillment.

Garden tools

Need a plan for your space?

Use the garden-fit planner and soil calculator to turn the recorded growing facts into a practical plan.

Open garden tools Uses this product’s recorded growing information. Local weather and garden conditions may vary.

Variety field guide

What to expect from Bulgarian Carrot Pepper Seeds

Bulgarian Carrot pepper seeds produce red hot chile pepper fruit about 3.5 in long (90 mm) on upright, erect plants reaching 19–24 in; maturity is 60-69 Days.

Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record

Bulgarian Carrot pepper seeds grow into upright, erect plants reaching 19–24 in, bearing red fruit about 3.5 in long (90 mm). Heat category: Hot. It is especially suited to fresh hot-pepper use, pickling, sauces, drying, and seed saving. Maturity is 60-69 Days.

About Bulgarian Carrot

Bulgarian Carrot is a hot chile pepper grown as Capsicum annuum L. Plants have an upright, erect habit and reach 19–24 in; support is listed as stake. The principal mature or market color is Red, with fruit described as about 3.5 in long (90 mm). Reproductive classification: Open-Pollinated (OP). Maturity: 60-69 Days. Names associated with this variety include Shipka Pepper, Carrot.

  • Scientific name:Capsicum annuum L.
  • Life cycle:Annual
  • Planting season:Spring
  • Growth habit:Upright/Erect
  • Plant height:19–24 in
  • Sunlight:Full sun
  • Seed depth:1/4 in
  • Germination:7–14 Days at 75–90 °F
  • Spacing:18 in between plants; 24 in between rows
  • Soil:Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5
  • Water:Moderate
  • Support:Stake
  • Reproductive type:Open-Pollinated (OP)
  • Fruit:Red; About 3.5 in long (90 mm)
  • Heat:Hot; 5,000-30,000 SHU

History and seedkeeping context

Bulgarian Carrot, also recorded under the name Shipkas, appears in the North American cultivar archive as an open-pollinated Bulgarian landrace. The description documents clustered fruit about 90 mm long, green-to-fluorescent-orange ripening, a 68-day reference, and very high pungency. Popular catalog stories sometimes claim that this pepper was secretly carried out from behind the Iron Curtain.

The documented Bulgarian landrace identity and Shipkas alias provide substantial history without the folklore. The available sources do not establish a named person’s tribal identity. A published cultivar description gives a 68-day harvest reference.

The source does not state whether the count begins at sowing or transplanting, so local records should be used to interpret the number.

Fruit, flavor, and kitchen use

Use the bright orange ripe pods in hot sauces, salsas, pickles, relishes, and cooked dishes where concentrated heat is wanted. The relatively narrow fruit can also be dried after splitting. Very pungent orange chile for fresh use, pickling, cooking, sauces, and drying. Pungency varies with genetics, temperature, water stress, fruit position, and ripeness; any heat figure is a range, not a promise for every pod. Bulgarian Carrot is especially useful for fresh hot-pepper use, pickling, sauces, drying, and seed saving. Flavor and eating quality are described as very pungent orange chile for fresh use, pickling, cooking, sauces, and drying. Pungency varies with genetics, temperature, water stress, fruit position, and ripeness; any heat figure is a range, not a promise for every pod. Heat classification: Hot; listed range: 5,000-30,000 SHU. Pungency can shift with genetics, weather, water stress, and ripeness.

How to grow Bulgarian Carrot

Start Bulgarian Carrot indoors about 8 to 10 weeks before the last expected frost. Sow 1/4 in deep in a warm, evenly moist seed-starting mix; expect 7–14 Days near 75–90 °F. Provide strong light as soon as seedlings emerge, pot up before roots become crowded, and harden plants gradually before transplanting after nights are reliably warm.

Plant in full sun with loamy soil near pH 6.0–6.5. Space plants 18 in apart and rows 24 in apart. Maintain moderate moisture, mulch after the soil warms, and avoid excessive nitrogen. Install stake early where the upright, erect plant or fruit load warrants it. Mature height is 19–24 in.

Season care

• Warmth matters most during germination; keep Bulgarian Carrot seed warm without leaving the medium saturated. • Harden seedlings gradually and wait for warm nights before transplanting, because cold soil and wind can stall peppers for weeks. • Install stake before branches carry a heavy crop, and keep moisture even while fruit is setting. • Harvest at the color stage suited to the recipe, but leave fruit fully mature on selected plants when saving seed. • Use 60-69 Days as a planning range rather than a guaranteed calendar date; weather and transplant stress can shift first harvest.

Harvest and maturity

60-69 Days from transplant to first representative harvest; the same value is used in every description. Peppers can often be used at an immature green or transitional color, but fully ripe color is required for mature seed.

Saving seed

Peppers are largely self-pollinating but insect movement can produce crosses. To save Bulgarian Carrot true to type, grow several healthy representative plants, isolate them from compatible pepper varieties or use blossom bags or cages, and remove clear off-types before flowering. Allow selected fruit to reach full biological color, handle hot fruit with gloves, remove the seed, dry it in a thin labeled layer until fully hard and dry, then store it cool, dark, and dry. Keep the harvest year, source, isolation method, and selection notes with the lot.

Common questions

When is Bulgarian Carrot ready?

Plan around 60-69 Days. The listed range is a planning guide, and weather, transplant stress, and harvest stage can shift the actual date.

How long does germination take?

Expect 7–14 Days near 75–90 °F. Cooler media, excess water, old seed, or uneven moisture can delay emergence.

How large does it grow?

Expect about 19–24 in. Growth habit: Upright/Erect. Support: Stake.

How is it used?

Fresh hot-pepper use, pickling, sauces, drying, and seed saving

Can I save seed?

Peppers are largely self-pollinating but insect movement can produce crosses.

Garden toolsOpen the garden-fit planner, planting-window questions, or soil calculator only when useful

Uses this product’s recorded growing information. Local weather, soil, and garden conditions may vary.

Garden-fit planning for this variety

Will Bulgarian Carrot Pepper Seeds fit your garden?

Check warmth, season length, growing space, harvest stage, and intended kitchen use.

Questions for this pepper seed
Seed-starting fit and patience
Recorded product profileSome experience is helpfulModerate or temperature-sensitiveRead why
Soil test, pH, drainage, and amendment calculator Have a laboratory soil report? Enter pH, nutrients, texture, bed size, and site observations here. Open soil tools
Recorded soil typeLoamy
Recorded pH range6.0–6.5
Water needsModerate
LightFull sun

Soil Readiness

for Pepper Plants (Capsicum spp.)

Where to get a soil test

Best option: your state’s Cooperative Extension soil testing lab.

Tip: Arid/alkaline regions (e.g., AZ, NM, UT, parts of CA) often use Olsen (bicarbonate) for phosphorus.
Adjusts P (ppm) target & interpretation.
Target 6.2–6.8
Ideal 4–8%
Target 40–60 ppm (Mehlich-3)
Target 150–200 ppm
Ok ≥ 1000 ppm
Ok ≥ 120 ppm
For pH adjustment size
For “shopping list” amounts
Interprets P by extractant; assumes ppm. Results are approximate.
Enter at least one value above, then Calculate.

Full growing record

Complete growing and seedkeeping record

Starting and plantingSeed preparation, sowing, germination, transplanting, spacing, and early establishment
Start Bulgarian Carrot indoors about 8 to 10 weeks before the last expected frost. Sow 1/4 in deep in a warm, evenly moist seed-starting mix; expect 7–14 Days near 75–90 °F. Provide strong light as soon as seedlings emerge, pot up before roots become crowded, and harden plants gradually before transplanting after nights are reliably warm.

Plant in full sun with loamy soil near pH 6.0–6.5. Space plants 18 in apart and rows 24 in apart. Maintain moderate moisture, mulch after the soil warms, and avoid excessive nitrogen. Install stake early where the upright, erect plant or fruit load warrants it. Mature height is 19–24 in.
Season-long growing guideWater, fertility, support, weather response, pollination, containers, and care through maturity
Start Bulgarian Carrot indoors about 8 to 10 weeks before the last expected frost. Sow 1/4 in deep in a warm, evenly moist seed-starting mix; expect 7–14 Days near 75–90 °F. Provide strong light as soon as seedlings emerge, pot up before roots become crowded, and harden plants gradually before transplanting after nights are reliably warm.

Plant in full sun with loamy soil near pH 6.0–6.5. Space plants 18 in apart and rows 24 in apart. Maintain moderate moisture, mulch after the soil warms, and avoid excessive nitrogen. Install stake early where the upright, erect plant or fruit load warrants it. Mature height is 19–24 in.
Harvest, storage, and usesRecognizing maturity, harvesting cleanly, handling and storage, kitchen uses, and garden roles

Harvest and storage

Bulgarian Carrot is listed at 60-69 Days from transplanting to the principal harvest stage under suitable conditions. Use the bright orange ripe pods in hot sauces, salsas, pickles, relishes, and cooked dishes where concentrated heat is wanted. The relatively narrow fruit can also be dried after splitting. Very pungent orange chile for fresh use, pickling, cooking, sauces, and drying. Pungency varies with genetics, temperature, water stress, fruit position, and ripeness; any heat figure is a range, not a promise for every pod. Bulgarian Carrot is especially useful for fresh hot-pepper use, pickling, sauces, drying, and seed saving. Flavor and eating quality are described as very pungent orange chile for fresh use, pickling, cooking, sauces, and drying. Pungency varies with genetics, temperature, water stress, fruit position, and ripeness; any heat figure is a range, not a promise for every pod. Heat classification: Hot; listed range: 5,000-30,000 SHU. Pungency can shift with genetics, weather, water stress, and ripeness. Peppers are largely self-pollinating but insect movement can produce crosses. To save Bulgarian Carrot true to type, grow several healthy representative plants, isolate them from compatible pepper varieties or use blossom bags or cages, and remove clear off-types before flowering. Allow selected fruit to reach full biological color, handle hot fruit with gloves, remove the seed, dry it in a thin labeled layer until fully hard and dry, then store it cool, dark, and dry. Keep the harvest year, source, isolation method, and selection notes with the lot.

Uses and garden roles

Use the bright orange ripe pods in hot sauces, salsas, pickles, relishes, and cooked dishes where concentrated heat is wanted. The relatively narrow fruit can also be dried after splitting. Very pungent orange chile for fresh use, pickling, cooking, sauces, and drying. Pungency varies with genetics, temperature, water stress, fruit position, and ripeness; any heat figure is a range, not a promise for every pod. Bulgarian Carrot is especially useful for fresh hot-pepper use, pickling, sauces, drying, and seed saving. Flavor and eating quality are described as very pungent orange chile for fresh use, pickling, cooking, sauces, and drying. Pungency varies with genetics, temperature, water stress, fruit position, and ripeness; any heat figure is a range, not a promise for every pod. Heat classification: Hot; listed range: 5,000-30,000 SHU. Pungency can shift with genetics, weather, water stress, and ripeness.
Seed savingSelection, pollination, isolation, full maturity, cleaning, drying, labeling, and storage
Peppers are largely self-pollinating but insect movement can produce crosses. To save Bulgarian Carrot true to type, grow several healthy representative plants, isolate them from compatible pepper varieties or use blossom bags or cages, and remove clear off-types before flowering. Allow selected fruit to reach full biological color, handle hot fruit with gloves, remove the seed, dry it in a thin labeled layer until fully hard and dry, then store it cool, dark, and dry. Keep the harvest year, source, isolation method, and selection notes with the lot.
Pests, diseases, and troubleshootingPrevention, diagnosis, environmental disorders, common damage, and first-response checks
Bulgarian Carrot can be affected by aphids, flea beetles, mites, hornworms, bacterial leaf spot, Phytophthora root and crown rot, sunscald, blossom-end rot, and fruit cracking. Use clean seed-starting supplies, rotate away from solanaceous crops, avoid overhead irrigation late in the day, maintain even soil moisture, and inspect the undersides of leaves. Similar symptoms can have different causes, so compare plants of the same age and use local Cooperative Extension or diagnostic support before applying a treatment.
Frequently asked questionsDecision-focused answers that supplement the detailed guides above
Frequently Asked Questions - Bulgarian Carrot

When is Bulgarian Carrot ready?
Plan around 60-69 Days. The listed range is a planning guide, and weather, transplant stress, and harvest stage can shift the actual date.

How long does germination take?
Expect 7–14 Days near 75–90 °F. Cooler media, excess water, old seed, or uneven moisture can delay emergence.

How large does it grow?
Expect about 19–24 in. Growth habit: Upright/Erect. Support: Stake.

How is it used?
Fresh hot-pepper use, pickling, sauces, drying, and seed saving

Can I save seed?
Peppers are largely self-pollinating but insect movement can produce crosses.
History and provenanceBotanical identity, cultivar history, regional or cultural context, uncertainty, and source records

Scientific name: Capsicum annuum L.

Common name: Shipka Pepper

Cultivar or variety: Bulgarian Carrot

Bulgarian Carrot, also recorded under the name Shipkas, appears in the North American cultivar archive as an open-pollinated Bulgarian landrace. The description documents clustered fruit about 90 mm long, green-to-fluorescent-orange ripening, a 68-day reference, and very high pungency. Popular catalog stories sometimes claim that this pepper was secretly carried out from behind the Iron Curtain. The documented Bulgarian landrace identity and Shipkas alias provide substantial history without the folklore. The available sources do not establish a named person’s tribal identity. A published cultivar description gives a 68-day harvest reference. The source does not state whether the count begins at sowing or transplanting, so local records should be used to interpret the number.

References

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