Sugar Rush Stripey

Sweet and fruity with tropical citrus and stone-fruit notes, similar to Aji peppers but with added balanced heat and excellent crunch from thick walls.

The Sugar Rush Stripey Pepper produces elongated, conical pods that measure 3.5 to 5 inches long and about 1 inch wide, often with whimsical contorted or slightly curved shapes. Pods ripen from pale yellow or light peachy green to a deep orange or creamy peach base accented by pencil-thin to thick vertical red stripes running the full length of the fruit. The thick, crunchy flesh delivers a sweet, fruity taste with prominent tropical citrus and stone-fruit notes reminiscent of Aji peppers, finishing with balanced heat concentrated in the placenta. Plants grow vigorously to 4-6 feet tall (or taller in ideal conditions) with green stems, leaves, and white flowers, producing high yields over a long season. Heat levels range from 25,000 to 50,000 SHU, placing it in the hot category comparable to cayenne. The variety originated from the Sugar Rush series bred in Finland around 2010 by Chris Fowler at Fatalii.net, with the striped mutation discovered in the United States around 2015-2017 by grower Tom Motta and subsequently stabilized. It is excellent fresh, pickled, in salsas, hot sauces, or dried for spice powder, and its striking appearance makes the plant highly ornamental.

The Sugar Rush series began in Finland around 2010 when Chris Fowler at Fatalii.net selected a particularly sweet C. baccatum plant. Seeds reached Chris Fowler in Wales for further breeding of the Peach and Red lines. A naturally occurring striped mutation appeared on a Sugar Rush Peach plant in the USA around 2015–2017, discovered by grower Tom Motta. Seeds were shared back for stabilization, resulting in the Sugar Rush Stripey now widely available.