Aji Lemon Drop

Family: Solanaceae Hot Pepper

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Aji Lemon Drop to a garden.

Bright as a sunlit citrus peel, Aji Lemon Drop produces slender peppers that ripen from creamy pale yellow to a vivid lemon-gold glow.

The flavor is tangy and pleasantly piquant with a crisp, juicy bite—ideal for adding vivid heat and citrusy lift to fresh salsas, lively sauces, and quick pickles, or for roasting until the skins blister and deepen the sweetness. Compact plants make it easy to grow at home, and the long harvest window keeps the garden looking radiant through the season.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 80 DaysHabit: Upright

Botanical illustration of Aji Lemon Drop

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Aji Lemon Drop Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Apr 6th	Jul 20th	Oct 8th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 28th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 28th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 31st	Jul 14th	Oct 2nd – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 28th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 25th	Jul 8th	Sep 26th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 20th	Jul 3rd	Sep 21st – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 16th	Jun 29th	Sep 17th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 13th	Jun 26th	Sep 14th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 7th	Jun 20th	Sep 8th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 2nd	Jun 15th	Sep 3rd – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 20th	Jun 5th	Aug 24th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 11th	May 27th	Aug 15th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 2nd	May 18th	Aug 6th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 16th	May 1st	Jul 20th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 22nd	Apr 6th	Jun 25th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	80
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	Stake
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	80
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Aji Lemon Drop brings a clean, citrusy burn that tastes like pepper heat wearing a lemon peel—especially in raw salsas and quick pickles where the flesh stays crisp and juicy. When you roast until the skins blister, it turns sweeter and rounder, making it a natural for tangy sauces that cling to food without tasting cooked-flat.

Best Uses

quick pickles—thin slices that stay snappy and retain the lemony lift
fresh salsa or ceviche-style toppings where the heat hits before the pepper softens
blister-roasting to sweeten and mellow the piquancy for saucing or spooning over grilled proteins
hot sauce bases or tangy chimichurri-style herbless sauces when you want heat with real acidity

Flavor Profile

citrus-bright tangy heat crisp, juicy pepper bite lemon-gold sweetness that shows up as it roasts pleasantly floral, aji-like piquancy

Kitchen Pairings

lime garlic cilantro mango cotija cheese chicken thighs

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Aji Lemon Drop plants suddenly wilting with yellowing leaves—could it be Verticillium or Fusarium wilt, and what should I do?

Verticillium/Fusarium wilt often starts with one-sided or lower-leaf yellowing followed by wilting even when the soil isn’t dry. Pull and discard the affected plants (don’t compost), then avoid planting peppers in that spot for several years; fumigating or treating soil at home won’t reliably eliminate these soilborne fungi. In future seasons, use fresh or pasteurized potting mix, keep plants well-spaced for airflow, and water at the soil line to reduce stress that worsens wilt.

How often should I water Aji Lemon Drop during the main growing phase (after it’s established and flowering)?

During flowering and fruit set, keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy—typically watering about 1–2 times per week, with more frequent watering for containers. Check moisture 1–2 inches deep; water when that depth feels dry to the touch, then water thoroughly until excess drains. Inconsistent moisture can trigger blossom drop and cause uneven fruit size.

How can I tell when Aji Lemon Drop chilies are ready to harvest?

Harvest when pods are firm and fully colored (typically bright yellow to orange-yellow) and have reached full size; the 80-day timeline is a good guide from transplanting. If you taste one, it should have a clear “lemon drop” flavor—sweetish upfront with noticeable heat—rather than being pale and watery. Leaving pods too long can lead to wrinkling and slower new fruit set.