Planted Chiltepín Peppers

Today we planted Chiltepín Peppers in front of the fig tree. They originated from a wild chile. They will produce orange to reddish-brown peppers when they are in their ripe form, ovoid or spherical in shape and measuring about ¼ inch in diameter. They are thin fleshed; their fiery heat tends to dissipate quickly. They resemble the wild chiles that were discovered by Columbus. Their name comes from the Nahutl word meaning “flea”. They are good in salsas, soups and stews.

We picked dried peppers from some of the plants which are growing under the Live Oaks. We then planted the seeds 15 inches apart in concentric rows spaced 7½ inches apart. The peppers are a perennial and have shown that they will grow under the Live Oaks and that they can withstand drought.