2.5 Year Count Dracula Chili | Seed to BonChi
Species: Capsicum Annuum
Pepper Size: 2” long x 2-2.5cm wide
Heat: 5,000–30,000 SHU
Plant size: 18–24” tall
Days to maturity: 110 days
Temp: 85*
VPD: 1.2
Light: ViparSpectra XS1500 LED Grow Light
Grow Tent: 2x2 AC Infinity CloudLab 422
Seeds Planted: December, 2023
Seeds Sown: 20
Germinated: 8
Seedlings: 3
Transplanted: 3
Propagation Set Up: AC Infinity Heavy-Duty Humidity Dome, Samsung LM301H EVO Diodes, 3mm
Soil: General Hydroponics GH3253 Rapid Rooter
Transplanted: February, 2024
Pot: 2 Gallon Fabric
Soil: FoxFarm Bush Doctor Coco Loco Potting Mix
Up-Potted: May, 2024
Pot: 3 Gallon Fabric
Soil: FoxFarm Bush Doctor Coco Loco Potting Mix
BonChi’d: August, 2025
Bonsai Pot: Glazed 9.5” x 7.75” 3.25”
Soil: FoxFarm Bush Doctor Coco Loco Potting Mix
Root Trim
BonChi’d II: March, 2026
Bonsai Pot: Glazed 9.5” x 7.75” 3.25”
Bonsai Soil: Akadama, Kiryu, Lava Rock, Pumice, Slate, Pine Bark
Root Trim
Plant Color: High anthocyanin expression runs throughout the entire plant, producing black fruit, deep purple leaves, and purple flowers.
Pepper Color: The black color comes from high anthocyanin concentration in the immature chili, which breaks down as the pepper ripens and red pigments lycopene and capsanthin take over, producing the black-to-red transition
Applications: Salsas, sauces, any application where you want heat but the pepper isn’t the star flavor. Use black for fresh/visual applications, red for sauces and maximum heat.
Flavor Profile: Juicy sweetness with a subtle capsicum note, but not complex beyond the heat. Primarily useful as a heat source rather than a flavor enhancer.
Black (immature): Grassy, slightly bitter, lower heat. Color from anthocyanins (UV stress response).
Transition Stage (black fading to deep purple/burgundy): Most visually dramatic stage. Sugars develop, bitterness drops, heat climbs.
Red (ripe): Peak sweetness, juiciness, and heat (25–30k SHU). Flavor shifts fruity, walls soften slightly.