- Variety Info
- Sowing Info
- Growing Info
Variety Info
Days to Maturity: 100 days from transplanting after last chance of spring frost.
Family: Solanaceae
Native: Americas
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive perennial grown as an annual
Exposure: Full sun
Plant Dimensions: 20"-24" tall, 22" wide
Variety Info: 2"-3" long, bright yellow fruits with an almost waxy lemon peel sheen. Some fruits will have blushes of purple on the skin. Walls of the pepper are thin and fruits often only contain 10-15 seeds.
Attributes: Frost Sensitive
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: For mild climates only: 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date, when soil temperature is at least 70°F.
When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. 8 to 10 weeks before transplanting. Ideal soil temperature for germination is 70°-90°F. Transplant seedlings outside 2 to 4 weeks after your average last frost date, and when daytime temperatures are at least 70°F, and nighttime temperatures are at least 55°F. Mild Climates: Can also sow in late summer for fall/winter crop.
Days to Emerge: 10-25 days
Seed Depth: 1/4"
Seed Spacing: Start indoors
Row Spacing: 24" - 36"
Thinning: Start indoors, plant seedlings 18" - 24" apart outside
Your hardiness zone is
Growing Info
Harvesting: For step-by-step instructions on starting seed indoors, visit www.botanicalinterests.com.
Special Care: Harvest when peppers are mature in size and have turned bright yellow. Some peppers will have a purple blush to them that may never fade away. It is okay to harvest these peppers too. When harvesting, take care to avoid touching the interior of any broken peppers, as the capsaicin is an extreme irritant, especially to the eyes. Wash hands thoroughly after harvesting or wear gloves to harvest peppers.
- LeslieCA, United StatesVerified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars10/8/25So Many Peppers!
I started these indoors and moved them out to the garden a few weeks late. Peppers like it warm so they really didn't do much for a while but finally took off, producing so many peppers I'm going to have to make pepper jelly. They're hot but with great flavor; they aren't a pepper that's hot for hot's sake. I appreciate the compact growth and drama-free production (looking at you, chocolate pepper from the hardware store).
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateWho do you grow for? YourselfHow do you prefer to grow? Raised BedBIBotanical Interests10/10/25Hey Leslie,
Thank you so much for this fantastic 5-star review! "So Many Peppers!" is exactly what we love to hear about Lemon Drop Chile Pepper Seeds - and pepper jelly sounds like the perfect delicious solution to that wonderful abundance problem!
We absolutely love your patience with these beauties during their slow start! You're so right that peppers really need that warm weather to get going, and it sounds like once your Lemon Drops hit their stride, they more than made up for lost time with that incredible production. There's something so rewarding about watching pepper plants finally take off and just start cranking out pepper after pepper once conditions are right.
Your description of "hot but with great flavor" perfectly captures what makes Lemon Drop chiles so special - they bring that wonderful heat and citrusy punch without being one-dimensional. The fact that you appreciate the thoughtful flavor profile shows you really understand what quality pepper breeding is all about!
We're cracking up about your hardware store chocolate pepper comparison - "drama-free production" is exactly what every gardener wants! Compact growth and reliable performance without all the fuss makes Lemon Drops such garden superstars for pepper lovers who want results they can count on.
Your success will be so inspiring for other gardeners who want to discover just how productive and flavorful Lemon Drop Chile Peppers can be when given that warm weather they crave!
Keep on growing 🌻️
- Silver I.Rated 2 out of 5 stars9/17/25Germination Information Need
I've sown this three times in the bed and it has yet to germinate. Is it the heat wave in zone 10b?
Which best describes you as a gardener? BeginnerBIBotanical Interests9/19/25Hey Silver,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️
- AnneRated 5 out of 5 stars2/17/255 Stars
Love this pepper variety, one of my favorites. I grow these peppers every year.
- Erin G.Verified BuyerRated 1 out of 5 stars1/25/251 Star
I’ve done two rounds of indoor seed starting with lemon drop but none have germinated. Maybe I am doing something wrong. Generally BI seeds are great.
BIBotanical Interests2/11/25Hey Erin,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts in a review. I've reached out to you via email to offer assistance. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to ensuring your experience is positive. Thank you once again for your input. Keep on growing 🌻️