Kitchen Pepper
The Pumpkin Spice Jalapeño, officially known as the NuMex Pumpkin Spice, is a unique variety of jalapeño developed at the Chile Pepper Institute of New Mexico State University. The name refers to its vibrant, pumpkin-orange color when fully ripe, not to any...
CASA VERDE · HEAT PROFILE
Medium
- Sweet
- Mild
- Medium — this variety
- Hot
- Super hot
Understanding the heat
A diamond marks the midpoint of a listed range, or the listed value when only one number is given. An arrow marks a stated limit. These are variety guides, not measurements of our seed lot. This guide uses unequal numerical bands: sweet 0; mild up to 10,000; medium 10,000–50,000; hot 50,000–800,000; super hot from 800,000 SHU (display capped at 3 million). Heat varies between fruits and with growing conditions.
Shop all pepper seeds in Canada
- Heat
- 22000–25000 SHU
- Origin
- Mexico
CASA VERDE · GROWER’S NOTES
Get to know your pepper.
The Pumpkin Spice Jalapeño, officially known as the NuMex Pumpkin Spice, is a unique variety of jalapeño developed at the Chile Pepper Institute of New Mexico State University. The name refers to its vibrant, pumpkin-orange color when fully ripe, not to any pumpkin or spice flavor. It was created to provide consumers with a visually striking, colorful alternative to the traditional green jalapeño.
-
Fruity sweetness: When ripe, the
has a slightly sweeter and fruitier taste than a standard green jalapeño. It does not have hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves.NuMex Pumpkin Spice
- Moderate heat: The heat level is generally hotter than a typical green jalapeño, averaging between 22,000 and 25,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU).
- Earthy undertones: Some sources describe its flavor as a semi-sweet, earthy, and fruity flavor mixed with a moderate level of spice.
- Stuffing: With its thick, conical shape, it is perfect for making stuffed peppers (jalapeño poppers).
- Roasting and grilling: The peppers' flavor is enhanced by roasting or grilling.
- Pickling: Their crisp flesh holds up well to pickling, making them a great condiment.
- Ornamental: Because of their striking color, the plants are often grown as ornamentals in gardens and containers.
Cook your harvest
Use your harvest in these recipes. Check the variety notes and substitutions in each recipe.
Start indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost. Germinate at 26–30 °C on a heat mat; peppers stall below 22 °C. Pot up to 10–15 cm before hardening off outside after nights stay above 12 °C.
Feed balanced through bloom, then bump potassium for fruiting. Stake taller varieties. More detail in our full Canadian growing guide.
Match the pepper to the technique: thin-walled varieties blister fast in a hot pan; thick-walled ones roast or stuff beautifully; fruit-forward ones make balanced sauces and pickles. The variety's flavour profile is your shortcut — see Choosing the right pepper for a use-case guide.
