Chilhuacle Rojo Hot Pepper – Ancient and Rare Oaxacan Treasure 

One of the oldest, rarest and difficult to find pepper varieties, grown only in a small area of La Cañada, just outside of Oaxaca, Mexico for millennia. The name chilhuacle [chee-WAH-clee] means "old chile" in Nahuatl,  the language of the Aztecs, suggesting that it was already an ancient domesticated variety when they rose to power.

Medium-hot with a rich, robust, earthy, slightly smoky-sweet flavor that lasts on the tongue, chilhuacle rojo is a foundational ingredient in authentic Oaxacan dishes like mole coloradito. Pods are thin-walled and broad-shouldered, growing 1 ½ inches across and 2-3 inches long on short, sturdy plants about 2 feet tall. They can vary in shape from almost bell pepper to broad-shouldered and tapered. 

History

Indigenous to Central and South America, peppers were developed into a crop plant around 3,000 BC or perhaps even earlier. Columbus introduced Capsicum into Europe and it also spread to Africa and Asia.

More Information

For seed count & planting details, click here.

Uses

Peppers are used fresh, dried, and cooked. Peppers contain vitamins A and C.

Learn More

• Growing Peppers 101
• Chile and Pepper Growing Tips
• Grow Better Peppers with Shade
• Fermented Pepper Sauce
• Fermented Chile Paste

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