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Guaranteed to Grow
Neonicotinoid-Free
Heirloom

Chiltepín Pepper

Quick Facts:

  • Wild chili pepper
  • 3-foot-tall, highly branched plants
  • Small, round, red chiles
  • Often dried for sauces and seasonings
  • 50,000-100,000 Scoville

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Quantity: Packet (25 Seeds)

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We ship to all areas of North America including the United States, its territories and outlying islands, and Canada. International orders may incur an additional charge to cover the handling of customs paperwork. Returns are accepted within 30 days of receipt. Full warranty information can be found here.

Chiltepín Pepper

More about Chiltepin

Capsicum annuum

Chiltepín is a native chile that produces small, round peppers atop large, highly branched plants.  Sometimes known a Tepín or bird chile, the chiltepin pepper forms a dense shrub that can be found growing wild throughout parts of the southwestern United States, Central and South America, and the Carribean.  It is best known for its tiny, round peppers.  In fact, the name "chiltepin" is a compound of the Nahuatl word for "flea" and "chile", an accurate description given the tiny size of its peppers.  Don't be fooled by their diminutive stature, though, these chiles pack a powerful punch as our children discovered just after these pictures were taken (scroll for a good story).  Chiltepin are most often d... More

Less

Capsicum annuum

Chiltepín is a native chile that produces small, round peppers atop large, highly branched plants.  Sometimes known a Tepín or bird chile, the chiltepin pepper forms a dense shrub that can be found growing wild throughout parts of the southwestern United States, Central and South America, and the Carribean.  It is best known for its tiny, round peppers.  In fact, the name "chiltepin" is a compound of the Nahuatl word for "flea" and "chile", an accurate description given the tiny size of its peppers.  Don't be fooled by their diminutive stature, though, these chiles pack a powerful punch as our children discovered just after these pictures were taken (scroll for a good story).  Chiltepin are most often dried and used to make a variety of sauces and seasonings, though they can also be used fresh to make very hot salsa (50,000 to 100,000 Scoville.)  The Chiltepin pepper matures approximately days after transplant.  Each packet contains a minimum of 25 seeds.

Sillyheads, Not Chiliheads

Photo shoot days are always long.  In a matter of hours, we need to harvest, prep, stage and photograph around 30 heirloom varieties.  And since almost all of our shoots occur in the hour leading up to sunset, known by photographers as the golden hour, it usually means that dinner's going to be late.  Not a problem—we'll soon have a whole table of produce to snack on.  Dinner solved!  Or at least, that's the plan.

Shortly after these pictures were taken, our 6-year-old, thinking they were Texas Tiny tomatoes, grabbed a chiltepin pepper from the table and popped it in her mouth.  Now, if you've read the description above, you already know that the chiltepin is a very hot pepper, around 40 times hotter than a jalapeno.  This is not a good situation.

Well, to make matters worse, we soon found out that our 2-year-old, ever-aiming to emulate his big sister, had done just the same.  And so, before we knew it, we had two children running to the house crying, screaming, and dry heaving.   Once inside, I suggested the oldest drink some milk to calm the burn and then turned my attention to the toddler.  When I returned to check on her, I realized she had drank half-a-gallon of milk!  You can imagine what happened next. 

I'm not going to fully elaborate on the full extent of this chaotic scene, except to add that the 2-year-old was born with a cow's milk allergy.  Although he had, by this time, outgrown the allergy, he's never loved milk.  Nope, this child only nurses.  Looks like we're all going to be in this together.

In the end, it all worked out.  Well, after an hour or so of chaos.  And I think the kids learned an important lesson about eating things which they cannot positively identify.  Or at least we can hope.

Capsicum annuum

Chiltepín is a native chile that produces small, round peppers atop large, highly branched plants.  Sometimes known a Tepín or bird chile, the chiltepin pepper forms a dense shrub that can be found growing wild throughout parts of the southwestern United States, Central and South America, and the Carribean.  It is best known for its tiny, round peppers.  In fact, the name "chiltepin" is a compound of the Nahuatl word for "flea" and "chile", an accurate descr... read more

read less

Capsicum annuum

Chiltepín is a native chile that produces small, round peppers atop large, highly branched plants.  Sometimes known a Tepín or bird chile, the chiltepin pepper forms a dense shrub that can be found growing wild throughout parts of the southwestern United States, Central and South America, and the Carribean.  It is best known for its tiny, round peppers.  In fact, the name "chiltepin" is a compound of the Nahuatl word for "flea" and "chile", an accurate description given the tiny size of its peppers.  Don't be fooled by their diminutive stature, though, these chiles pack a powerful punch as our children discovered just after these pictures were taken (scroll for a good story).  Chiltepin are most often dried and used to make a variety of sauces and seasonings, though they can also be used fresh to make very hot salsa (50,000 to 100,000 Scoville.)  The Chiltepin pepper matures approximately days after transplant.  Each packet contains a minimum of 25 seeds.

Sillyheads, Not Chiliheads

Photo shoot days are always long.  In a matter of hours, we need to harvest, prep, stage and photograph around 30 heirloom varieties.  And since almost all of our shoots occur in the hour leading up to sunset, known by photographers as the golden hour, it usually means that dinner's going to be late.  Not a problem—we'll soon have a whole table of produce to snack on.  Dinner solved!  Or at least, that's the plan.

Shortly after these pictures were taken, our 6-year-old, thinking they were Texas Tiny tomatoes, grabbed a chiltepin pepper from the table and popped it in her mouth.  Now, if you've read the description above, you already know that the chiltepin is a very hot pepper, around 40 times hotter than a jalapeno.  This is not a good situation.

Well, to make matters worse, we soon found out that our 2-year-old, ever-aiming to emulate his big sister, had done just the same.  And so, before we knew it, we had two children running to the house crying, screaming, and dry heaving.   Once inside, I suggested the oldest drink some milk to calm the burn and then turned my attention to the toddler.  When I returned to check on her, I realized she had drank half-a-gallon of milk!  You can imagine what happened next. 

I'm not going to fully elaborate on the full extent of this chaotic scene, except to add that the 2-year-old was born with a cow's milk allergy.  Although he had, by this time, outgrown the allergy, he's never loved milk.  Nope, this child only nurses.  Looks like we're all going to be in this together.

In the end, it all worked out.  Well, after an hour or so of chaos.  And I think the kids learned an important lesson about eating things which they cannot positively identify.  Or at least we can hope.

Gardener holding seedlings
person holding seedlings

How to Grow Chile Peppers

Peppers perform best in well-drained soil that contains plenty of organic matter and adequate phosphorous and calcium. Mulching plants with poly, paper, or natural materials will ensure consistent moisture throughout the root zone.

For earliest harvest, start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Sow seeds 1/4" deep in well moistened, sterile seed-starting mix. The ideal temperature for pepper seed germination is 85 degrees. For best results, place a grower's heat mat beneath trays until germination has occurred. Under ideal conditions, germination should occur in 10-14 days. Super hot chiles can take up to a month to germinate. Be sure to keep the soil moist, but not soggy, until germination has occurred. Placing a plastic dome over the trays will eliminate a need for frequent watering during the germination period.

After danger of frost has passed, set transplants 18-24" apart in rows 24-36" apart. Ensure that plants receive 1-2" of water per week. Avoid over-application of nitrogen as this can cause vegetative growth at the expense of fruit set.

Insect Pests

Biological controls such as Bacillus thuringiensis can be effective in controlling climbing cutworms. Aphids, flea beetles, and other hard-shelled insects can be controlled with an insecticidal soap solution.

Diseases & Other Problems

To prevent common pepper diseases like Phytopthora and bacterial spot, avoid watering plants at night or on cool, cloudy days. Excess nitrogen and/or insufficient phosphorous can cause pepper plants to become bushy and produce few blossoms.

Peppers can be harvested at any time but should be picked before they become soft or overly mature. Harvesting regularly will encourage further fruit set. Peppers can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Alternatively, they can be dried by hanging them or placing them on a screen or basket in a warm, well-ventilated location until completely dry.

CONSIDERATIONS:

Select disease-free plants that are true-to-type. Pepper plants are prone to cross pollination by bees, so precautions should be taken to prevent pollination by insects. Covering plants with mosquito netting is an effective method to protect against pollen contamination.

HARVESTING SEED:

Harvest mature, disease-free fruit that have developed their final color. Cut open fruit and use a gloved hand to remove the seed. Dry on a coffee filter or paper towel. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

Note: We have noticed that pepper juice can leach through gloves. It is wise to double up if you are processing a large number of peppers or superhot chiles.

SEED LONGETIVITY:

Pepper seeds will remain viable for three years when stored under ideal conditions.

Little boy gardening

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