Dong Xuan Market - 15 seeds

Dong Xuan Market (Dong Xuan Market) is an interesting Vietnamese chilli pepper of the Capsicum baccatum species, discovered at Hanoi’s famous Dong Xuan Xuân Market. The small hanging fruits ripen from light green to red and have a very pleasant fruity flavour with heat of 30 000–50 000 SHU. The plant can be grown for several years if protected from frost and periodically rejuvenated by pruning.

Dong Xuan Market is named after the Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi, where this pepper was discovered. Its story is interesting: peppers originated in Central America, while this type likely reached Asia centuries ago via old trade routes.

This variety produces relatively small, hanging fruits with a fruity and pleasantly spicy flavour. An added advantage is that the plant can be kept for several seasons with proper overwintering.

Variety characteristics

• Variety: Dong Xuan Market (Dong Xuan Market)
• Botanical species: Capsicum baccatum
• Origin: Vietnam – discovered at Chợ Đồng Xuân Market, Hanoi
• Type: Hot pepper
• Heat level: 30 000–50 000 SHU
• Fruit size: Relatively small
• Position: Hanging
• Colour: Light green → red
• Flavour: Fruity and pleasantly hot
• Life cycle: Can be grown as a perennial when protected from cold
• Pruning: Suitable for rejuvenating the plant.

🔥 Heat

30 000–50 000 SHU

Dong Xuan Market offers medium-high to high heat combined with a distinctive fruity character. This balance of aroma and spiciness is one of the variety’s most interesting traits.

🌱 Sowing and growing

Sowing: January–April
Location: indoors
Temperature: 20–30°C
Greenhouse: for higher yield
Planting outdoors: around the end of May
Support: taller plants can be tied up
Pruning: suitable for a compact shape and rejuvenation.

A particularly interesting trait of this variety is that plants can live for several years. To do so, they need to overwinter in a frost-free place and be pruned periodically. In autumn, they can be moved into a pot and brought indoors to a bright location.

🍴 Culinary use

The fruity flavour and 30 000–50 000 SHU make Dong Xuan Market excellent for Asian dishes, hot sauces, salsa, curries, soups, pickles and drying. The small fruit allows easy control of the desired heat.

💡 Urban Botaniks tip: With Dong Xuan Market, the strongest highlights are its Vietnamese origin, fruity flavour and potential for perennial growing. Instead of discarding the plant after its first season, move it to a frost-free location and prune it—if it overwinters successfully, you can enjoy it for years to come.