The Santa Fe Grande pepper is a very popular pepper to grow because of its sweet flavor, mild heat, and vibrant color. The peppers have a very mild heat level and a sweet flavor so they are a good option for those who find Jalapeno peppers too spicy. Santa Fe Grande peppers average about 500 to 700 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which similar to the Poblano, Cubanelle, and Shishito peppers. The taste of Santa Fe Grande peppers is described as sweet and slightly smoky, with a very mild eat level that allows them to be consumed by anyone regardless of their spicy food tolerance.
Santa Fe Grande peppers are conical and grow to be about three to five inches long. Santa Fe Grande peppers look very similar to Fresno peppers, but the Santa Fe Grande pepper has a much more colorful ripening pattern. They start off green, turn to yellow and orange, and finally ripen to a bright red. One plant will contain dozens of peppers at various color stages, making them a very popular ornamental pepper.