Bring the authentic soul of Hungarian cuisine to your garden with this prized heirloom variety. Known for its brilliant ruby-red pods, the Paprika pepper is a prolific producer, yielding 4- to 6-inch slender, thin-walled fruits that are remarkably easy to dry and grind. Unlike store-bought powders that can lose their vibrancy, your homegrown spice will boast a rich, smoky-sweet aroma and a mellow, earthy flavor with almost no heat—typically ranking between 0 and 100 on the Scoville scale. Whether used fresh in salads or dehydrated for your own signature seasoning, these peppers offer a depth of flavor that is truly world-class.

To ensure a bountiful harvest, start your seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost, as these plants thrive on warmth and require a long growing season to reach full maturity. Once the danger of frost has passed, transplant seedlings into a sunny location with fertile, well-draining soil, spacing them roughly 18–24 inches apart. The compact, 24- to 36-inch plants benefit from consistent moisture and a boost of balanced fertilizer as they begin to flower. Harvest once the peppers have turned a solid, deep red to lock in the highest concentration of sweetness and pigment for your homemade spice blends.