NuMex Orange Spice
Also known as Orange Spice Jalapeño · NuMex Orange Spice Jalapeño · Jalapeño Orange Spice · Orange Spice Jalapeno
About 3.2 times a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU typical).
Growing
~70 days to maturity
Fruit size
6–7.5 cm
Flavor & Use
Classic jalapeño flavor with extra fruitiness and sweetness when fully orange; the name describes ripe color, not a citrus or pumpkin-spice taste. Heat builds hotter and longer than a grocery-store jalapeño.
Culinary
About
NuMex Orange Spice is an open-pollinated Capsicum annuum jalapeño released in 2015 by Paul W. Bosland and Danise Coon at New Mexico State University. Fruit starts green and finishes bright orange (Munsell 10R 4/12), about 6.4 cm long, with thick walls and the epidermal corkiness of Early Jalapeño. Compact plants (36–45 cm) set a concentrated flush of fruit and were selected for the high temperatures and low humidity of southern New Mexico. Three years of HPLC testing at Leyendecker averaged 79,442 SHU, far hotter than sister cultivars Lemon Spice and Pumpkin Spice. Use ripe pods in salsa, pickles, poppers, and sauce when you want jalapeño flavor and color with extra burn.
Backstory
Breeding began in 1995 with a cross of Permagreen bell pepper and Early Jalapeño, followed by pedigree selection and three backcrosses to a jalapeño pod type. Orange Spice is selected line 09c392-9, released in 2015 with Lemon Spice and Pumpkin Spice so growers could offer jalapeños that stay yellow, orange, or pumpkin-orange at maturity instead of turning red. The Spice names refer to ripe color, not pumpkin-spice flavor.
Appearance
Growing
Heritage
ExploreNuMex Orange Spice is a backcross involving Permagreen and Early Jalapeño.
Paul W. Bosland and Danise Coon · 2015
Parents
Sources
FAQ
- How hot is NuMex Orange Spice?
- Capsi’s sourced range is 79,442 SHU (Lab-verified). 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 NuMex Orange Spice taste like?
- Classic jalapeño flavor with extra fruitiness and sweetness when fully orange; the name describes ripe color, not a citrus or pumpkin-spice taste. Heat builds hotter and longer than a grocery-store jalapeño.
- How do I grow NuMex Orange Spice?
- NuMex Orange Spice: about 70 days to maturity, arid climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
- What can I substitute for NuMex Orange Spice?
- Jalapeño, NuMex Pumpkin Spice, Fresno