# Black Heart Pepper

Also known as Black Heart Chili, Black Heart.
Species: Capsicum annuum.

Black Heart Pepper is a Capsicum annuum stabilized from Central Europe, Austria. Capsi has not yet documented heat for this variety. Flavor is fruity, sweet, aromatic. Used for pickles, fillings, drying, sauces.

## Heritage

Stabilized

Black Heart Pepper is a stabilized line from Black Hungarian Pepper and Red Cherry Chili.

Credit: Michael Theurl · 2019

Parents:
- [Black Hungarian Pepper](https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/black-hungarian-pepper)
- Red Cherry Chili (Not a named variety)

The Open Source Seeds register names a 2009 Black Hungarian × Red Cherry Chili cross by Michael Theurl of Zirl, then years of selection until amateur-variety registration around 2019. Forum and seed-swap pages repeat that pairing; none name a different pedigree.

## Page sources

- [Official Open Source Seeds English variety page for Black Heart, with breeder, fruit, and cultivation notes](https://www.opensourceseeds.org/en/seed/chili-pepper-black-heart)
- [German Open Source Seeds register text, including amateur-variety status and parent names](https://opensourceseeds.org/saatgut/paprika-black-heart)
- [August 2019 interview with Michael Theurl on breeding and amateur-variety registration](https://www.opensourceseeds.org/blog/black-heart-die-erste-open-source-chili)
- [German chili-forum grower write-up of Black Heart appearance, heat grade, and OSS origin](https://chili-pepper.de/threads/black-heart.4441/)
- [Chiliforum variety card listing 10-liter pot recommendation, ripe color red, and Schärfegrad 5-6](https://chili-pepper.de/threads/black-heart.4327/)
- [Encyclopedic cultivar row for Black Heart; appearance follows the OSS text](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Capsicum_cultivars)
- [Seed-swap listing for Black Heart under the OSS license, with parent names and Schärfegrad 5-6](https://samen-tauschen.org/details/chili/black-heart-oss-lizenz/27033/)

## FAQ
### How hot is Black Heart Pepper?

Capsi has not yet documented heat for this variety. Capsi uses a sourced range and a trust tier, not a single marketing number. How we verify heat: https://web.thecapsi.app/learn/heat-and-capsaicin/how-we-measure-heat

### What does Black Heart Pepper taste like?

Fruits already taste fruity and sweet while still black, and they keep a clear chili aroma when they ripen red.

### How do I grow Black Heart Pepper?

Black Heart Pepper: temperate climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.

### What can I substitute for Black Heart Pepper?

Black Hungarian, Red Cherry Chili

Page: https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/black-heart-pepper
Catalog: https://web.thecapsi.app/data