Description
Chilli Name : AJÍ ASTA DE BUEY
Chilli Species : Baccatum
Chilli Origin : South America (commonly grown in Chile & Peru)
Chilli Heat : Mild to Medium
The Ají Asta de Buey, meaning “Ox Horn” in Spanish, is a traditional South American variety named for its long, curved pods that resemble the shape of an ox’s horn. Grown widely in Chile and Peru, this ají has been part of local cuisine for centuries, used fresh, dried, or ground into powders for stews and sauces.
Pods are slender, elongated, and slightly curved, usually 10–15 cm long, ripening from green to bright red. The flavour is mild to medium in heat, with a fruity sharpness that makes it versatile in the kitchen. Dried pods are often ground to create colourful powders used in everyday South American cooking.
Plants are tall and vigorous, often reaching 120–150 cm, with the upright, spreading habit typical of baccatum types. They produce generous crops of long, horn-shaped pods, making them an attractive as well as productive variety.
Seeds germinate best at 25–28 °C, sprouting in 10–21 days. Plants take 100–120 days from sowing to first harvest. In UK conditions, greenhouse or polytunnel growing is recommended for reliable ripening, though plants may succeed outdoors in a good summer.
