PLANTS - PEPPER: MURASAKI PURPLE

An old Japanese pepper from the Nara Prefecture. Tapered black pods are highly ornamental and look deceptively like a fiery hot pepper. In fact, the beautiful fruit is totally heatless. A new favorite at Baker Creek for its dramatic, dark purple fruit and flowers; even the foliage has a purplish haze. Very productive.

Murasaki Purple peppers are elongated, straight to slightly curved pods, averaging 2-4 inches in diameter, and have a conical shape tapering to a rounded point on the non-stem end. The skin is glossy, waxy, and smooth, ripening from green to dark purple, almost black, and the pods are connected to a thick, purple-green stem. Underneath the skin, the flesh is crisp, green, and aqueous, encasing a central cavity filled with many small, round and flat, cream-colored seeds. Murasaki Purple pepper peppers are crunchy with a mild and sweet, heatless flavor. In addition to the peppers, the Murasaki Purple pepper plant is identified by its unique purple-hued stems, leaves, and flowers.

Murasaki Purple chile peppers are best suited for raw applications as the deep purple hues are showcased when used fresh, out-of-hand. The pepper can be sliced and tossed into green salads, chopped for salsa, or sliced and used as a garnish. In addition to fresh preparations, Murasaki Purple chile peppers can be lightly cooked, but the color will fade into a green hue in the process. In Japan, the peppers are boiled, stir-fried with other vegetables as a side dish, or fried into tempura. The sweet peppers can also be used as a pepper substitute in any recipes that call for a mild pepper. Murasaki Purple chile peppers pair well with broccoli, green beans, eggplant, cucumber, carrots, onions, garlic, ginger, cashews, meats such as poultry, beef, pork, duck, and fish, seafood, and rice. The peppers will keep up to one week when stored unwashed and whole in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

PRO TIP: WHEN PLANTING IN CONTAINER OR RAISED BED ADD 1 TBSP OF EPSOM SALT AND ORGANIC FERTILIZER INTO THE SOIL.

LOCATION: FULL SUN
FRUIT SIZE: 6-8 inches
MATURES: ~60-85 days
PLANT SPACING: 18 inches apart
PLANT SZE: 20 to 24 inches tall and 16 inches wide
HEAT: Scoville rated - 0
CONTAINER: 1 QUART / 4.5" ROUND

NOTE: CAN NOT SHIP -- PICK UP OR DELIVERY ONLY
>> planted January 10, 2021.