Type
hot, wax pepper
Pepper variety
Hungarian Wax Pepper
A productive pepper with tapered yellow fruit that can be used mild when young and hotter as it matures. It performs well across a range of summer conditions.
Days to maturity
58 to 70
Best for
pickling, frying
About Hungarian Wax
Hungarian Wax, often sold as Hungarian Hot Wax, is an open-pollinated hot pepper with smooth, waxy fruit that ripens from pale yellow through orange to red. The tapered pods run about five to six inches long and carry a medium heat that builds as they mature. Upright, productive plants make it a popular choice for fresh use and pickling.
Growing Hungarian Wax Pepper
Space plants about 18 inches apart in full sun and give them light support once the fruit sets. It fits a standard warm-season window and tends to bear early and abundantly. Harvest at the yellow stage for milder flavor or leave pods to color up for more heat, and note that pods from the same plant can vary in spiciness.
Full growing guide
For planting dates, care, and harvest that apply to all peppers, see the complete guide.
How to grow PeppersOther peppers varieties
Variety characteristics are general guidance for US home gardens; performance varies by climate, soil, and season. Seed and plant availability differs by supplier. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.