NuMex Garnet

Mild, sweet red-pepper flavor with subtle earthy undertones. Excellent for paprika where vibrant color and gentle taste are prioritized over pungency.

NuMex Garnet is an open-pollinated paprika-type chile pepper (Capsicum annuum) developed specifically for the paprika industry. It originated from a cross between a high-extractable-color, non-pungent selection from the New Mexico 'B-18' paprika cultivar (maternal parent) and a compact-habit, low-pungency single-plant selection from the Texas A&M 'PA-5' breeding line (paternal parent). After five generations of selfing and selection in insect-proof cages, it was released in 2004 by the New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station. The cultivar was selected for compact-to-open growth habit, high yields, exceptionally high extractable color (303 ASTA), high dry matter content (~38–40%), and very low pungency. Pods average 11.8 cm long by 2.9 cm wide with thin walls (~0.29 mm) and low fruit detachment force, making the plants well-suited for mechanical harvesting. It is primarily valued as a natural red colorant for paprika powder and oleoresin rather than for fresh consumption.

Developed at New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Institute through a deliberate cross between a high-color, non-pungent selection from the established New Mexico 'B-18' paprika cultivar and a compact, abundant-fruiting, low-pungency selection from the Texas A&M 'PA-5' paprika breeding line. After multi-generation self-pollination and rigorous selection in insect-proof cages for compact habit, high yield, high ASTA color, high dry matter, and minimal heat, the line was bulked and released in 2004 as 'NuMex Garnet' by the New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station. It was specifically bred to serve the paprika pigment-extraction industry while offering mechanical-harvest potential.