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Chocolate Habanero Pepper Seeds

Scientific name Capsicum chinense Jacq.

About this variety

Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line pepper seeds grow into shrubby plants reaching 37–48 in, bearing brown fruit about 2-3 in long, wrinkled lantern-shaped fruit. Heat category: Hot. It is especially suited to hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use. Maturity is 100-109 Days.About Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade lineChocolate Habanero /...

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Alliance of Native Seedkeepers  |  SKU: HPP46
$150 USD $200
25% OFF
Heirloom seed packet sale

$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
25 minimum seeds per packet
Gardener experience

Moderate

Germination difficulty

Moderate

Germination time

14–28 Days at 75–90 °F seed-zone soil temperature

  • Germination
    14–28 Daysa seed-zone soil temperature of 75–90 °F
  • Maturity
    100-109 DaysCounted from transplanting to the principal harvest stage under suitable conditions.
  • Sun
    Full sun
  • Support and spacing
    Stake recommended · space 24 in · rows 36 in
  • Growth habit
    Shrubby or Subshrub · Annual · 37–48 in tall
  • Best use
    Hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use
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 Chocolate Habanero Pepper Seeds

Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line pepper seeds produce brown hot chile pepper fruit about 2-3 in long, wrinkled lantern-shaped fruit on shrubby plants reaching 37–48 in; maturity is 100-109 Days.

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

Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line pepper seeds grow into shrubby plants reaching 37–48 in, bearing brown fruit about 2-3 in long, wrinkled lantern-shaped fruit. Heat category: Hot. It is especially suited to hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use. Maturity is 100-109 Days.

About Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line

Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line is a hot chile pepper grown as Capsicum chinense Jacq. Plants have a shrubby habit and reach 37–48 in; support is listed as stake. The principal mature or market color is Brown, with fruit described as about 2-3 in long, wrinkled lantern-shaped fruit. Reproductive classification: Open-Pollinated (OP). Maturity: 100-109 Days. Names associated with this variety include Chocolate Habanero, Chocolate Habanero pepper, Pepper Seeds - Hot Pepper - Chocolate Habanero (Black Congo).

  • Scientific name:Capsicum chinense Jacq.
  • Life cycle:Annual
  • Planting season:Spring
  • Growth habit:Shrubby/Subshrub
  • Plant height:37–48 in
  • Sunlight:Full sun
  • Seed depth:1/4 in
  • Germination:14–28 Days at 75–90 °F
  • Spacing:24 in between plants; 36 in between rows
  • Soil:Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5
  • Water:Moderate
  • Support:Stake
  • Reproductive type:Open-Pollinated (OP)
  • Fruit:Brown; About 2-3 in long, wrinkled lantern-shaped fruit
  • Heat:Hot; 300,000-450,000 SHU

History and seedkeeping context

Chocolate Habanero and Black Congo are names used in the seed trade for dark-ripening Capsicum chinense peppers, but the names are not treated here as proof that every strain sold under them is identical. The current listing preserves both names because they are attached to the maintained seed lot. Its defensible identity rests in the species, dark brown ripe color, lantern-like fruit, long warm season, and high pungency.

A single documented breeder or formal release record for this exact lot has not been established from the public institutional record reviewed. That uncertainty belongs on the page rather than being replaced with an invented island, family, or Indigenous origin story. Selection should focus on healthy plants, characteristic fruit shape, brown maturity, aroma, heat, and consistent performance within the maintained population.

The available sources do not establish a named person’s tribal identity.

Fruit, flavor, and kitchen use

Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line is best suited to hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use. Its flavor is smoky, fruity, earthy, and intensely hot. Harvest stage matters: immature fruit is usually firmer and greener in flavor, while fully colored fruit is generally softer, sweeter, or more aromatic. Use hot varieties carefully and measure them according to the needs of the recipe rather than assuming one pod equals another. Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line is especially useful for hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use. Flavor and eating quality are described as smoky, fruity, earthy, and intensely hot. Heat classification: Hot; listed range: 300,000-450,000 SHU. Pungency can shift with genetics, weather, water stress, and ripeness.

How to grow Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line

Start Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line 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 14–28 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 24 in apart and rows 36 in apart. Maintain moderate moisture, mulch after the soil warms, and avoid excessive nitrogen. Install stake early where the shrubby plant or fruit load warrants it. Mature height is 37–48 in.

Season care

• Warmth matters most during germination; keep Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line 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 100-109 Days as a planning range rather than a guaranteed calendar date; weather and transplant stress can shift first harvest.

Harvest and maturity

100-109 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 Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line 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 Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line ready?

Plan around 100-109 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 14–28 Days near 75–90 °F. Cooler media, excess water, old seed, or uneven moisture can delay emergence.

How large does it grow?

Expect about 37–48 in. Growth habit: Shrubby/Subshrub. Support: Stake.

How is it used?

Hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use

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 Chocolate Habanero 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 profileExperienced planning is helpfulPatience and controlled warmth are importantRead 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 Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line 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 14–28 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 24 in apart and rows 36 in apart. Maintain moderate moisture, mulch after the soil warms, and avoid excessive nitrogen. Install stake early where the shrubby plant or fruit load warrants it. Mature height is 37–48 in.
Season-long growing guideWater, fertility, support, weather response, pollination, containers, and care through maturity
Start Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line 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 14–28 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 24 in apart and rows 36 in apart. Maintain moderate moisture, mulch after the soil warms, and avoid excessive nitrogen. Install stake early where the shrubby plant or fruit load warrants it. Mature height is 37–48 in.
Harvest, storage, and usesRecognizing maturity, harvesting cleanly, handling and storage, kitchen uses, and garden roles

Harvest and storage

Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line is listed at 100-109 Days from transplanting to the principal harvest stage under suitable conditions. Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line is best suited to hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use. Its flavor is smoky, fruity, earthy, and intensely hot. Harvest stage matters: immature fruit is usually firmer and greener in flavor, while fully colored fruit is generally softer, sweeter, or more aromatic. Use hot varieties carefully and measure them according to the needs of the recipe rather than assuming one pod equals another. Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line is especially useful for hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use. Flavor and eating quality are described as smoky, fruity, earthy, and intensely hot. Heat classification: Hot; listed range: 300,000-450,000 SHU. Pungency can shift with genetics, weather, water stress, and ripeness. Peppers are largely self-pollinating but insect movement can produce crosses. To save Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line 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

Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line is best suited to hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use. Its flavor is smoky, fruity, earthy, and intensely hot. Harvest stage matters: immature fruit is usually firmer and greener in flavor, while fully colored fruit is generally softer, sweeter, or more aromatic. Use hot varieties carefully and measure them according to the needs of the recipe rather than assuming one pod equals another. Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line is especially useful for hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use. Flavor and eating quality are described as smoky, fruity, earthy, and intensely hot. Heat classification: Hot; listed range: 300,000-450,000 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 Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line 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
Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line 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 - Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line

When is Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line ready?
Plan around 100-109 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 14–28 Days near 75–90 °F. Cooler media, excess water, old seed, or uneven moisture can delay emergence.

How large does it grow?
Expect about 37–48 in. Growth habit: Shrubby/Subshrub. Support: Stake.

How is it used?
Hot sauces, chile mash, marinades, drying, and carefully measured fresh use

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 chinense Jacq.

Common name: Chocolate Habanero pepper

Cultivar or variety: Chocolate Habanero / Black Congo seed-trade line

Chocolate Habanero and Black Congo are names used in the seed trade for dark-ripening Capsicum chinense peppers, but the names are not treated here as proof that every strain sold under them is identical. The current listing preserves both names because they are attached to the maintained seed lot. Its defensible identity rests in the species, dark brown ripe color, lantern-like fruit, long warm season, and high pungency. A single documented breeder or formal release record for this exact lot has not been established from the public institutional record reviewed. That uncertainty belongs on the page rather than being replaced with an invented island, family, or Indigenous origin story. Selection should focus on healthy plants, characteristic fruit shape, brown maturity, aroma, heat, and consistent performance within the maintained population. The available sources do not establish a named person’s tribal identity.

References

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Reviews for Chocolate Habanero Pepper Seeds

Customer Reviews

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GORDON RIVET (United States)

I really love this company have bought a lot of seeds. However the Chocolate Habanero... I planted 6 seeds only 1 sprouted.

Hi Gordon, thank you for your continued support and for your honest feedback. We’re sorry this variety did not perform as expected for you. Hot peppers, especially habanero types, can be slower and more particular to germinate than many other seeds and usually require steady warmth for best results. This seed passed our germination testing prior to sale and is covered by our warranty. Please contact us so we can help troubleshoot and assist under our warranty.

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