Boldog Eger Paprika (Capsicum annuum)
This beautiful red pepper was originally bred in the town of Boldog, Hungary. Boldog means "happy" in Hungarian and these sweet and a little spicy peppers will surely put a smile on your face!
The plants grow from 2-3 feet tall so it's good to stake them because they are very prolific and will probably need the support. The flavor is rich and sweet with hints of minerals and they have a little spice when they are mature, approximately 500-1,000 Scoville Units.
The Boldog pepper is one of the favorite varieties in Hungary for making hot paprika powder (Csípős paprika) and the fruits should be left to turn a deep red before harvesting if you plan to dry them and grind them into paprika powder. Boldog is also an exceptional pepper for fresh eating or adding to stir-fries and we also dry the fruits to make pepper flakes that have a little kick.
Origin: We were given the parent seed of our Boldog Egri Paprika in the Hungarian city of Eger while were visiting friends there.
Historical Note: Eger is an historically important city in Hungary. In the 1500's the Ottoman Empire had conquered much of the Balkans and the Turks were pushing up into Europe. In Eger, the famous Baron and warrior István Dobó defended the seige of the Eger Castle in 1552 with 2,100 Hungarian troops versus 80,000 Turks. The famous routing of the Ottomans was credited with saving Europe from being overrun. The region of Eger is also famous for wine which is called "Bulls Blood" (Egri Bikavér) and the myth is that the strong wine had magical powers that strengthened the Hungarians to defeat the Turks against all odds. In the last photo, Laszlo is standing in front of the Eger Minaret which marked the farthest point north that the Ottomans reached in Europe.
(Approximately 20 seeds per packet)
Germination Rate: 75% tested 7/25/25
Planting Instructions: We recommend starting peppers indoors in a sunny and warm location 4-6 weeks before last frost in spring. Plant outdoors in full sun after danger of frost in spring. Note: pepper seeds need soil temperatures to be at least 70 F to germinate and we use a heating pad under the seedling tray to maintain temperature.
