Sandia Hot Pepper

Introduced by New Mexico State University in 1956, Sandia plants bear heavy yields of green peppers that ripen to red. Heat increases as fruits redden.

Sometimes labeled as NuMex Sandia, this chile-style pepper has medium-thick walls that add a nice crunch to salsa. A favorite for roasting, the peppers are also often dried to create decorative strings, or ristras. It sounds like most of these are fairly mild, but then very once in a while one will be a scorcher.