Hungarian Black Seeds

Ornamental. Edible. Excellent

Hungarian Black is one of those varieties that feels like a best-kept secret. It’s strikingly ornamental but also a genuinely useful kitchen chilli — a combination that’s rarer than you’d think.

From seed, it grows into a compact, upright plant with dark foliage and beautiful purple flowers, the sort of plant you find yourself admiring every time you walk past it.

The chillies themselves begin a deep, glossy black and gradually ripen through dark plum shades before turning a clear, bright red. They’re medium-sized, smooth-skinned and slightly tapered, and the heat is on the milder side — usually around 5,000 to 10,000 SHU. Enough to give a dish a lift without overpowering it.

Flavour-wise, Hungarian Black is clean and crisp with a faint sweetness once the pods turn red. The black stage is excellent for salads and garnishes; the fully ripe red pods are better for cooking, sauces and pickling. It’s a genuinely versatile chilli to have around.

Because it’s a Capsicum annuum, it grows quickly and fruits reliably even in the UK. It performs well outdoors in a warm summer, but really comes into its own in a greenhouse or polytunnel, producing a steady supply of pods over a long season.

If you like chillies with both looks and practicality, this is one of the easiest wins you’ll get from seed.