Rocoto Rojo

Description

Capsicum pubescens — the odd one out among the domesticated peppers, and the only one you cannot cross with any of the others. It is unmistakable in the flesh: hairy leaves, purple-blue flowers marked with white, and black seeds that no other Capsicum produces.

The rocoto comes from the high Andes, where it has been grown since long before the Inca, and it still behaves like a mountain plant: it wants warm sunny days and genuinely cool nights, and it copes with cold that would finish a habanero. The pods are apple-shaped, 5–8 cm, with walls as thick and juicy as a bell pepper’s — which is exactly why the classic dish is rocoto relleno, the stuffed rocoto of Arequipa.

The flavour is crisp and apple-fresh with a grassy edge, and the heat is round and sustained rather than sharp. Too juicy to dry well; use it fresh, stuffed, or in pastes and salsas.

It needs patience and a big pot — 20 litres is not excessive — and it is slow, often 120–150 days to the first ripe fruit. Sow in midwinter. A grower’s trick that works for us: if your nights are too warm, water with cool water to give the plant something of the temperature swing it is looking for.

Some chilies are worth tasting before you grow them. → Explore the Vault

Each pack contains approximately 8–10 or more seeds per variety.
Seeds are packaged in a certified EU seed packaging facility in accordance with applicable regulations.

Categories: Chili Seeds , C. pubescens , Hot