Seeds: When properly stored, planted, and cared for, we guarantee reasonable germination and true-to-type growth for one year from purchase.
Non-seed products: Free from defects in materials and workmanship for 30 days from shipment.
Excludes factors outside our control (extreme weather, pests, gardener error). If something’s off, contact us—we’ll make it right with a replacement, repair, or refund.
USDA “bioengineered (BE)” foods are those with detectable genetic material that was modified using in vitro recombinant DNA (rDNA) techniques, in ways
not obtainable through conventional breeding or found in nature. The USDA’s National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard uses “bioengineered” as the nationwide labeling term.
Detectable modified genetic material in the final food
Created via in vitro rDNA techniques (e.g., gene transfer)
Modifications not achievable through conventional breeding or nature
—seeds / pkt
( ~ g )
Description
Nutty, warm, and famously musical. Cascabel, the “little bell” of Mexican chiles, earns its name from the soft rattle of loose seeds inside each dried pod. Fresh it’s bright and peppery; dried it turns round and toasty with notes of hazelnut, mild cocoa, and gentle smoke. The heat is friendly and steady, perfect for layering depth into sauces without overpowering the dish.
The plants are vigorous and tidy, typically 2 to 3 feet tall with a branching habit that loads stems with blossoms and marble-like fruit. Clean green foliage frames clusters of small, round pods so the plants look ornamental long before ripening. Pods average 1 to 1½ inches across, smooth and glossy, maturing from deep green to rich red and drying to a handsome chestnut brown. Walls are medium thick for fresh crunch but cure evenly, making cascabel one of the easiest chiles to dry whole for pantry use.
Bite into a ripe pod and you’ll get sweet red pepper first, followed by a mellow, warming heat that lingers pleasantly. In the kitchen, toasted cascabels perfume moles, adobos, and table salsas with their signature nutty richness; blended, they bring body and brick-red sheen to stews, beans, and braises. Ground into flakes or powder, cascabel adds depth to rubs, chili oils, roasted vegetables, and even chocolate desserts.
Native to central and western Mexico and long traded through regional markets, Cascabel is a cherished Capsicum annuum selected for its unique shape, reliable drying, and crowd-pleasing flavor. Grow it for generous harvests, easy preservation, and the unmistakable rattle that signals a perfectly cured chile ready to turn everyday cooking into something special.
Timing: Start seeds 8–10 weeks before last frost (cool/short seasons: use 10 weeks).
Depth: Sow ¼" (6 mm) deep in sterile, fine mix; lightly firm and mist.
Temperature (germination): Medium 80–88°F (27–31°C) with a heat mat + thermostat for uniform sprouting.
Germination Time: 7–14 days typical; allow up to 21 days for slower lots.
Moisture & air: Even moisture—not soggy. Humidity dome with daily venting prevents damping-off.
Light (post-sprout): 14–16 hrs/day strong light 2–4" above the canopy.
Air temperature (post-sprout): Days 70–80°F (21–27°C); nights 62–70°F (17–21°C).
Potting Up: First true leaf → 2–3" cells; step to 4–5" pots pre-transplant. Slightly deeper set each step to stabilize.
Feeding: Start ¼-strength balanced fertilizer weekly at two true leaves; increase to ½-strength after pot-up if foliage pales. Add Ca/Mg if needed.
Airflow/conditioning: Gentle fan strengthens stems and reduces fungal pressure.
Soil Temperature & Transplant Timing
Transplant by soil readings, not dates. Measure 2–4" (5–10 cm) deep at dawn for 3–5 mornings:
Soil ≥60–65°F (16–18°C); night air ≥55°F (13°C).
Ideal root zone 70–85°F (21–29°C) for fast establishment.
How to check: Soil thermometer at planting depth; average multiple mornings.
Transplanting Outdoors
Hardening Off: 5–7 days (shade → partial → full sun).
Site: Full sun; well-drained, moderately rich soil, pH 6.0–6.8. Airflow is important for clean drying fruit.
Bed Prep: Incorporate 1–2" (2.5–5 cm) compost plus a balanced organic fertilizer; avoid excess N (leafy plants, slow color).
Spacing: 16–20" (40–50 cm) between plants; 24–30" (60–75 cm) between rows.
Support: Compact but heavily fruiting; a light stake or twine line prevents lodging when round pods cluster.
Mulch: Apply after soil warms; black/woven mulch helps earliness and weed control.
Watering: Moderate, steady moisture—~1" (25 mm)/week including rain. Avoid drought/soak cycles that can cause drop or thin walls.
Season Extension: Early row cover (remove during bloom) improves set in cool springs; reflective mulch aids coloring.
Variety-Specific Notes (Cascabel)
Purpose: Grown to dry whole; when fully dry, the loose seeds rattle inside. Harvest at uniform deep red/brown-red; dry until pods are hard and seeds audibly rattle.
Crop time: 75–95 days from transplant to first full red harvest; field-dry where weather allows, else finish under cover with strong airflow at ≤95°F (35°C).
Drying workflow: Harvest after dew dries; sort out cracked or blemished fruit; dry on screens in single layers, turning daily until rattling.
Troubleshooting
Uneven ripening/dry-down: Improve sun/air penetration—prune a few inner leaves; avoid overhead irrigation late day.
Fungal spotting on dense clusters: Increase airflow, water early morning at the base, and avoid splashing.
Pods wrinkle but won’t harden: Temperature too low or humidity high—move to warmer, drier airflow or use a dehydrator on 90–95°F (32–35°C).
Leggy seedlings: Boost light intensity; keep day temps ≤80°F to reduce stretch.
How to Grow — Cascabel (Capsicum annuum — “little bell,” prized for rattling seeds)
Seed Starting & Transplant Timing
Start indoors 6–10 weeks before last frost for a head start on the long red-to-brown maturity needed for proper “rattle.”
Germination: Maintain 78–85°F (25–29°C) on a heat mat; emergence typically 7–14 days. Vent humidity domes daily and bottom-water to prevent damping-off.
Lighting: 14–16 hours/day under LED/T5 lights, 2–4" above seedlings; add gentle airflow for sturdier stems.
First feeding & pot-up: Begin ¼-strength balanced fertilizer at first true leaves; pot up to 3–4" containers as roots fill cells.
Hardening off: 5–7 days of gradual outdoor exposure.
Transplant when warm: Nights >55°F (13°C) and soil >60°F (16°C). Black mulch helps color progression and early vigor.
Amendments: Work in 2–3" compost plus a light organic base (e.g., 4-4-4). Cascabel benefits from steady potassium for pigment and firm walls; in sandy soils, add gypsum (Ca) to reduce BER.
Bed design: Raised beds improve drainage and warmth—helpful for ripening round, thick-walled pods to the proper dry rattle.
Watering
Provide 1–1½ inches of water per week, more during flowering and fruit fill.
Water deeply but infrequently to encourage strong root growth.
Best method: Drip/soaker hose at soil level minimizes foliar wetness and disease.
If overhead watering is used, water early morning to allow foliage to dry before evening.
Rattle note: As pods near mature red-brown, taper watering modestly (never to wilting) to encourage interior drying so the seeds loosen and rattle on the plant.
Fertilizing
Apply a balanced fertilizer every 2–3 weeks during vegetative growth.
Once flowering begins, shift to low-N, high-K feeding to promote heavy set and rich color.
Avoid late nitrogen surges; excessive N delays the red-to-brown turn and can thicken leaves at the expense of fruit.
Weeding & Mulching
Keep weeds controlled—they compete for moisture/nutrients and slow ripening.
Mulch (black plastic early, organic later) to:
Retain soil moisture
Suppress weeds
Stabilize soil temperatures
Hand-weed gently; shallow roots are easily disturbed, which can stall coloring.
Sun & Heat Management
Grow in full sun (6–8+ hrs) for pigment development and uniform drying.
During heat waves (>95°F / 35°C), provide light afternoon shade and steady moisture to preserve flower set and prevent sunscald on round pods.
Spacing & Support
Space 18–24" apart in rows 24–36" apart.
Plants are compact but fruit-dense; a low cage or ring stake prevents branch splitting and keeps pods off soil for clean drying.
Companion Planting
Good companions: Tomatoes, parsley, basil, carrots, okra, beans, cucumbers.
Avoid: Fennel and kohlrabi (growth suppressants).
Add alyssum, dill, coriander to attract hoverflies and parasitoids that control aphids/thrips, key to blemish-free drying fruit.
Container Growing
Use 7–10+ gallon pots with a high-quality, free-draining mix; bigger volumes stabilize moisture for even ripening.
Containers dry faster—check daily.
Shade pot sides in midsummer; elevate containers off hot surfaces for root health.
Pruning & Training
Tip-pinch once early to increase branching and fruiting nodes.
Later, thin only interior congestion to keep airflow high. Heavy mid-season pruning delays harvest and the critical on-plant dry-down window.
Season Extension
Row cover/low tunnels speed early growth; remove/vent for bloom and pollinators. In autumn, light frost cloth can preserve the final brown ripening needed for authentic rattling pods.
Harvest & Seed Saving
Harvest stages:
Red-brown, leathery for drying whole with intact skins—ideal for the classic rattling cascabel.
Deep red (fresh use) for salsas and sauces; finish drying off-plant if desired.
To achieve the rattle, allow pods to hang until seeds detach inside, then cut with pruners leaving a short stem. Finish in a warm, airy room if needed.
For seed saving, select fully colored, true-shape round pods from vigorous plants. Dry seeds 7–10 days; store cool/dry. Isolate from other annuum drying types (guajillo, ancho, cayenne) to maintain cascabel form and thickness.
Flea beetles (tiny pits and shot-holes on seedlings)
Controls: Lightweight row cover until flowering; trap crops such as mustard; diatomaceous earth at stems.
Cutworms (seedlings severed at base at night)
Controls: Place collars at seedling stems; clear debris; scout at dusk for removal.
Caterpillars (fruitworms, armyworms) (chewed foliage/pods; frass inside peppers)
Controls: Handpick daily; Bt spray when larvae are small; mow grassy borders.
Pepper weevil / fruit borers (southern risk; punctured pods, premature fruit drop)
Controls: Harvest promptly; destroy dropped fruit; maintain sanitation; consult extension for trap schedules.
Long before Spanish colonization reshaped Mesoamerica, Indigenous peoples like the Nahua, Mixtec, and Zapotec cultivated a wide diversity of peppers, each with distinct roles in cuisine and ritual. Among them were round, cherry-like chiles that, when dried, produced a characteristic rattling sound from their loose seeds. Known today as Cascabel — “little bell” or “rattle” in Spanish — these peppers were valued for their moderate heat and earthy, nutty flavor. Archaeological evidence and early codices suggest that such peppers were already part of Indigenous agriculture centuries before European arrival, integrated into salsas, sauces, and ceremonial offerings.
In Nahua kitchens, round chiles like Cascabel were toasted on comales, their skins blistered to release aroma, then ground into sauces that flavored maize and bean dishes. Their distinctive sound when shaken made them more than just food: they were used symbolically in rituals and festivals, the rattle of seeds echoing themes of fertility, abundance, and continuity. Healers also valued them as medicine for circulation and vitality, applying Indigenous knowledge of chile as both food and remedy. These cultural practices established Cascabel as more than a pepper — it was a vessel of meaning.
The arrival of the Spanish layered new names and contexts onto the pepper. “Cascabel” captured the sound of the dried pods, likened to rattlesnakes or bells, but Indigenous knowledge remained the foundation of its use. Over generations, Cascabel peppers became integrated into regional cuisines of central and northern Mexico, especially in states like Guanajuato and San Luis Potosí. Their earthy, smoky flavor when dried distinguished them from sharper, fruitier chiles, making them indispensable in moles, salsas, and braises.
In the twentieth century, as Mexican cuisine gained international recognition, Cascabel peppers became sought after for their unique qualities. Chefs and home cooks abroad discovered their ability to add depth without overwhelming heat, while diaspora communities preserved their role in traditional dishes. Farmers continued to grow them for both local markets and export, maintaining lines that remained true to their Indigenous roots.
Today, Cascabel is celebrated as one of Mexico’s classic dried chiles, often sold alongside anchos, pasillas, and guajillos as part of the holy trinity of mole-making. Its round pods, glossy when fresh and deep mahogany when dried, carry both flavor and symbolism. For gardeners, it is an opportunity to cultivate a chile that speaks directly to Mesoamerican history. For cooks, it is a reminder that heat is not the only measure of importance: flavor, sound, and story matter too.
To grow Cascabel is to honor the Indigenous farmers who first selected its round form, to participate in a lineage that has always valued chiles as both sustenance and symbol. Each rattling pod is a bell of history, ringing with the voices of those who cultivated it long before its Spanish name was given.
Goal: Preserve the round, marble-to-golf-ball-sized pods that dry to a deep red-brown and rattle with loose seeds, delivering the classic earthy, nutty flavor—while maintaining purity within C. annuum and strong seed vigor.
1) Selecting Plants for Seed Saving
Choose exemplars: Select 6–12 robust, disease-free plants that produce uniform, spherical to slightly flattened pods on sturdy pedicels, with smooth skin and even green → red ripening that dries to brownish-red. Look for plants with balanced vigor and canopies that protect fruit from sunscald.
Cull off-types: Exclude plants with elongated or bell-like fruits, corky/rough skins, poor set, late/uneven coloring, or off flavors (excessive bitterness). Remove virus-like mosaics or plants prone to cracking.
Maintain breadth: Save seed from multiple mother plants to lock in the true round shape and good drying behavior that creates the iconic seed rattle.
2) Harvesting Seeds
Timing: Allow fruits to ripen to full red, then dry partially on the plant if weather permits until skins firm and seeds begin to loosen (you’ll often hear the rattle when shaken).
Collection: Clip pods with sanitized pruners; choose clean, fully red/beginning-to-dry fruit from several plants. Keep each plant’s harvest labeled as separate lots.
3) Cleaning Seeds
Two approaches (choose one):
Dry extraction (traditional for Cascabel): Once pods are leathery to dry, split carefully; shake and tap seeds into a labeled bowl. This preserves darker seed coats typical of fully matured seeds.
Wet rinse method: If pods are still pliable and moist inside, slit and scrape seeds/placenta, then rinse gently with lukewarm water in a fine sieve.
Winnowing: Use a light fan to winnow chaff after dry extraction.
Inspection: Remove pith fragments; discard pale, flat, or damaged seeds.
4) Drying Seeds
Method: Spread seeds in a single layer on labeled coffee filters or mesh screens.
Environment: Warm (70–85°F / 21–29°C), shaded, airy space; avoid direct sunlight and temps >95°F (35°C).
Duration: 7–14 days, stirring daily. Seeds should finish hard, non-tacky, and rattle freely.
5) Storing Seeds
Packaging: Place fully dry seeds into paper envelopes within an airtight jar/foil pouch with silica gel.
Viability: Expect 3–5 years refrigerated; 5–8+ years if ultra-dry and frozen. Always allow containers to warm sealed before opening to prevent condensation.
6) Testing Seed Viability
Germ test: Germinate 10–20 seeds on a damp towel in a vented bag at 78–82°F (25–28°C); read at 5–10 days.
Isolation: Cascabel is C. annuum and crosses readily with other annuum (pasilla/anchos, poblanos, jalapeños, bells). Use 150–300 ft (45–90 m) isolation; for high purity, bag/cage selected branches or hand-pollinate.
Pollinators & set: Encourage beneficials broadly; for bagged branches, gently tap/vibrate during bloom to ensure set.
Record keeping: Track plant IDs, isolation method, harvest dates, fruit diameter and roundness, drying behavior, and any off-types. Photograph representative fruits fresh and dried to verify true Cascabel character.
Selection cues: Prioritize plants whose pods dry evenly, produce a clear seed rattle, and deliver the deep, earthy-sweet flavor prized in Mexican sauces—these traits define authentic Cascabel.
Culinary Uses, nutty dried chile
Salsa de cascabel (signature): Toast whole dried pods lightly until fragrant (skins deepen, aroma turns nutty). Destem/seed, then purée with roasted tomato, garlic, and a splash of vinegar or lime. Optionally thicken with roasted peanuts or pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for a silky, brick-red salsa.
Adobos & moles: Blend toasted, rehydrated cascabel with ancho/guajillo, onion, garlic, and warm spices for adobos; add seeds/nuts and a touch of piloncillo for mole-style sauces with gentle heat and deep nuttiness.
Soups & beans: Drop a toasted pod into simmering black beans, lentils, or soups for background roundness—remove before serving.
Table dust: Grind to a coarse powder and sprinkle over roasted squash, grilled fish, or mushrooms for a toasty, walnut-like finish.
Heat control tips: Cascabel runs mild-to-medium. For the mildest sauces, remove most seeds after toasting; adjust by count rather than deseeding every pod.
Preservation and Pantry Value
Born to dry: Round, thin-walled fruits cure easily; well-dried pods “rattle” (hence the name).
Long keeping: Store whole pods airtight and dark—flavor persists for years. Grind just before use.
Versatile formats: Keep some whole for toasting/steeping, some ground for everyday seasoning.
Travel-ready: Lightweight, shatter-resistant pods pack well for market sets and CSA spice shares.
Flavor Benefits beyond heat
Toasty, nutty, lightly smoky with hints of dried fruit and tamarind; gentle warmth that won’t dominate.
Blends elegantly with seeds and nuts for traditional sauces that carry richness without heavy spice burn.
Garden and Ornamental Benefits
Decorative round pods ripen green → red → chestnut; dried pods in braids/wreaths are striking.
Productive plants suitable for drying gardens and seed-spice displays.
Traditional and Practical Uses (with Indigenous foodways focus)
Central Mexican kitchens: Cascabel features in Indigenous and campesino cooking across central and western Mexico (including Nahua, Otomí, and Purépecha regions), where dried chiles, toasted seeds, and stone-ground sauces are culinary bedrock.
Nixtamal companions: The chile’s nutty profile complements nixtamalized maize foods—tamales, atoles, and tortillas—with depth rather than sharpness.
Comales & metates: Traditional techniques—dry toasting on a comal, grinding on a metate—unlock cascabel’s aroma; your product pages can highlight these methods and their cultural importance.
Safety and Handling always
Toast gently—burnt skins turn bitter and acrid.
Use gloves if handling many pods; dust can irritate. Ventilate when grinding powders.
Our seeds are grown and sourced from the US. They're then packed and shipped from Colerain NC.
Triple tested
We regularly test the quality and germination rate of our seeds. We're so confident that our seeds are backed by a 1 year warranty!
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.
Interprets P by extractant; assumes ppm. Results are approximate.
Enter at least one value above, then Calculate.
Summary
Recommended Amendments (per 100 sq ft)
How to Use
Mix P & K sources into top 3–6″ a week or two before planting.
If pH is low, apply lime 3–4 weeks pre-plant (or fall/winter).
Side-dress peppers with ~0.1 lb N / 100 sq ft at first bloom & fruit set.
Add 1–2″ finished compost yearly to build organic matter.
Container mix? Use a peat/coco-based mix with compost and slow-release organic fertilizer; pH is usually already correct.
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Alliance of Native Seedkeepers
Pepper Seeds - Hot Pepper - Cascabel
$200 USD
$300
Unit price /
Unavailable
Description
Nutty, warm, and famously musical. Cascabel, the “little bell” of Mexican chiles, earns its name from the soft rattle of loose seeds inside each dried pod. Fresh it’s bright and peppery; dried it turns round and toasty with notes of hazelnut, mild cocoa, and gentle smoke. The heat is friendly and steady, perfect for layering depth into sauces without overpowering the dish.
The plants are vigorous and tidy, typically 2 to 3 feet tall with a branching habit that loads stems with blossoms and marble-like fruit. Clean green foliage frames clusters of small, round pods so the plants look ornamental long before ripening. Pods average 1 to 1½ inches across, smooth and glossy, maturing from deep green to rich red and drying to a handsome chestnut brown. Walls are medium thick for fresh crunch but cure evenly, making cascabel one of the easiest chiles to dry whole for pantry use.
Bite into a ripe pod and you’ll get sweet red pepper first, followed by a mellow, warming heat that lingers pleasantly. In the kitchen, toasted cascabels perfume moles, adobos, and table salsas with their signature nutty richness; blended, they bring body and brick-red sheen to stews, beans, and braises. Ground into flakes or powder, cascabel adds depth to rubs, chili oils, roasted vegetables, and even chocolate desserts.
Native to central and western Mexico and long traded through regional markets, Cascabel is a cherished Capsicum annuum selected for its unique shape, reliable drying, and crowd-pleasing flavor. Grow it for generous harvests, easy preservation, and the unmistakable rattle that signals a perfectly cured chile ready to turn everyday cooking into something special.
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