More Information
| Botanical Name |
Capsicum annuum |
| Seeds Per Pack |
10 |
| Life Cycle |
Annual |
| Min. Time to Germinate |
10 Days |
| Max. Time to Germinate |
15 Days |
| Depth to Sow Seeds |
1/4 in. |
| When to Sow |
Indoors 8-10 weeks before last spring frost |
| Growing Height |
24-36 in. (60-90 cm) |
| Plant Spacing |
18-24 in. (45-60 cm) |
| Hardiness |
N/A |
| Sun Exposure |
Full Sun |
| Danger |
N/A |
| Other Details |
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater |
| Soil pH Requirements |
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic), 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic), 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) |
| Days to Harvest |
80-90 |
| Propagation Methods |
From seed; sow indoors before last frost |
| Seed Collecting |
Allow unblemished fruit to ripen; clean and dry seeds |
| Heat (Scoville Heat Units) |
1,000-2,999 SHU |
| Pepper Color |
Green changing to brown |
| Pepper Shape |
Round, Tapered |
| Pepper Size |
Small (under 2in. in length) |
| Pepper Usage |
Drying, Fresh (salsa, salads), Frying, Pickling, Roasting, Stuffing |
This stunning pepper is the "Chilhuacle Negro." The pepper was already ancient about a thousand years ago when the Aztecs gave it its name, which means “the old one.” Scientific evidence pinpoints central Mexico as the site of the oldest domesticated peppers, also the historical location of chilhuacle cultivation. The chilhuacle may be one of the oldest domesticated peppers on Earth, if not the oldest. The chilhuacle chili is an endemic crop of the Cañada Region in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico, within the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (a UNESCO World Heritage site), and is the only place in the world where it is produced commercially. The pepper is expensive to cultivate commercially, is now considered endangered, and may one day become extinct. The pepper gives a very distinct flavor to the local dish “Oaxacan black mole” (Mole Negro Oaxaqueño).
The peppers have a medium heat and turn from green to chocolate brown when mature. Since they have very thin walls, they dry easily. They are especially good roasted before adding to salsas, or as a spicy ingredient in stir-fries. Non-Isolated.
SHU: 1,000-2,000
