{"product_id":"ciliegia-plccante-pepper-seeds","title":"Ciliegia Piccante Pepper Seeds (Capsicum annuum) Cherry-shaped hot pepper with bright heat and bold flavor; excellent for pickling, stuffing, and Italian cuisine","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e10+ Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.375rem] font-bold\"\u003eCiliegia Piccante — The Italian Cherry Pepper That Belongs in Every Serious Kitchen Garden\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eSome peppers exist to add heat. Ciliegia Piccante exists to add character. Round, glossy, and deeply red at full ripeness, this Italian cherry pepper brings bright, clean heat with enough bold flavor underneath that you taste the fruit before you feel the fire. It is the pepper behind the best stuffed cherry peppers you have ever eaten, packed into antipasto jars at Italian delis that you keep reaching back into long after you should have stopped.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho Grows Ciliegia Piccante?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eHome cooks who want the real ingredient rather than a grocery store approximation. Picklers who know a properly brined cherry pepper outperforms most condiments on the shelf. Market gardeners looking for a visually striking specialty pepper that sells on appearance before the flavor closes the deal. Seed collectors drawn to regional Italian heirlooms with genuine culinary tradition. And anyone who has made their own antipasto and understood that the pepper is always the centerpiece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat This Pepper Actually Is\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eCiliegia Piccante, meaning spicy cherry in Italian, is a traditional hot pepper with deep roots in Italian home garden and pickling culture. Fruits are nearly perfectly round at 1 to 2 inches in diameter, ripening from green to a deep saturated red that looks extraordinary packed into glass jars.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eHeat runs roughly 5,000 to 15,000 Scoville units, delivering bright upfront warmth that builds steadily without ambush. Thick, juicy walls carry real pepper flavor, sweet and fruity underneath the heat, making this variety especially well suited to pickling and stuffing where complexity matters as much as fire. Compact plants set heavy clusters through a long productive season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the Kitchen and the Pantry\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePickling:\u003c\/strong\u003e Whole in brine with garlic, herbs, and white wine vinegar. One of the most addictive things in your refrigerator within a week.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStuffed:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hollowed and filled with tuna, capers, and anchovies in the traditional style. Or provolone and prosciutto. Both are correct.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAntipasto:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sliced or whole in oil-packed arrangements alongside olives, cured meats, and marinated vegetables.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFresh:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sliced into salads, chopped into vinaigrettes, or eaten whole off the plant for clean, bright heat.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDrying:\u003c\/strong\u003e Split and dried for concentrated winter heat. Threads into decorative pepper strings beautifully.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSauces:\u003c\/strong\u003e Blended where thick walls provide body and fruity flavor lifts the product above single-note heat.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing Ciliegia Piccante From Seed\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStarting Indoors:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8 to 10 weeks before last frost with bottom heat between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGermination:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10 to 21 days with consistent warmth. Temperature swings are the most common cause of poor pepper germination.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTransplanting:\u003c\/strong\u003e After last frost when nights hold above 55 degrees. Cold soil stalls peppers noticeably.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSunlight:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun, 6 to 8 hours minimum. Heat and light drive both yield and heat level.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Rich, well-draining, slightly acidic. Consistent moisture without waterlogging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e 18 to 24 inches apart for airflow and reduced disease pressure.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFertilizing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Balanced feed at transplant, then lower nitrogen and higher phosphorus once flowering begins.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full red for maximum flavor and heat. Pick regularly to keep plants producing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e Warm-season annual, Zones 5 to 11. Thrives in hot summers mirroring its Mediterranean origins.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBefore You Close This Page\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe jar of stuffed cherry peppers you keep paying too much for at the Italian deli starts here. Ciliegia Piccante is that variety. Easy to grow, absurdly productive, and one of the most rewarding pickling peppers in a home garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eOpen-pollinated Italian heirloom seeds, limited availability. Grow them, fill the jars, and wonder why you waited this long.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"terramatergardens","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53334650323262,"sku":"11431","price":2.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/8836\/7166\/files\/candles-5228.png?v=1778177491","url":"https:\/\/www.terramatergardens.com\/products\/ciliegia-plccante-pepper-seeds","provider":"Terra Mater Gardens","version":"1.0","type":"link"}