Description
Chilli Name: PI 439466
Chilli Species: Eximium
Chilli Origin: Bolivia
Chilli Heat: Hot
PI 439466 Chilli— A Hardy Wild Chilli from Bolivia’s Highlands (Capsicum eximium)
PI 439466 is a wild chilli accession from Bolivia, classified as Capsicum eximium, and preserved in the USDA Plant Introduction (PI) system. Like other members of this species, it hails from the Andean highlands, where it grows naturally in rocky, cool, and high-altitude environments — making it one of the more cold-tolerant wild Capsicums.
The plant grows as a small, shrubby perennial, with thin, slightly hairy leaves and striking purple flowers featuring pale or whitish centres — a signature trait of C. eximium. It produces tiny, erect, round to teardrop-shaped pods that mature from green to deep red. Despite their miniature size, the pods are hot, typically reaching 30,000 to 60,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), and have a sharp, clean burn.
PI 439466 is well-suited to cooler climates, shows natural resistance to pests and disease, and thrives in low-fertility soils — all valuable traits for both wild chilli collectors and breeding programmes aiming to improve resilience in domestic lines.
Though not widely used in cooking due to the small pod size, PI 439466 is an excellent example of Bolivia’s native chilli diversity and is ideal for growers exploring wild Capsicum genetics, especially those interested in hardy, long-lived plants with intense flavour and evolutionary significance.
In short, PI 439466 is a bold, resilient, and beautiful chilli — a fiery gem from the Bolivian highlands.
