The Mattapeno was discovered by Matt Ohlendorf when he was working in a commercial greenhouse and stumbled upon what is believed to be a natural mutation. The Mattapeno is one of the most stunning Jalapeno varieties because of its variegated leaves and pods.
Variegated foliage is characterized by leaves that have more than one color on them, often featuring a combination of green and white or green and yellow patches. These variegated patterns can be stripes, spots, or marbling. Variegated pepper plants are grown more for their ornamental value than for their fruit production, although the peppers they produce are edible and can have varying levels of spiciness depending on the pepper variety.
The Mattapeno pepper is believed to be around 5,000 to 10,000 Scoville Heat Units and has an earthy flavor and a subtle sweetness, especially when fully ripe and red. This sweetness can balance out the heat and earthy notes. The Mattapeno’s variegated foliage adds a decorative element to gardens, making them attractive for landscaping and container gardening. Other variegated pepper varieties include the Fish pepper, Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry, Bryan’s Blood, Golden Nugget, and Purple Tiger.
