Description
Chilli Name : CHILTEPIN TARAHUMARA
Chilli Species : Annuum (var. glabriusculum – wild type)
Chilli Origin : Mexico (Sierra Tarahumara, Chihuahua)
Chilli Heat : Hot
Chiltepin Tarahumara is a wild heritage chilli from the Sierra Tarahumara in Chihuahua, northern Mexico. It takes its name from the Tarahumara (Rarámuri) people, who have lived in the region for centuries and traditionally harvest wild chiltepins as part of their cuisine and culture.
Pods are small, round, and berry-like, ripening from green to bright red. Heat is hot and sharp, delivering a fiery burst that quickly fades, typical of wild tepins. The flavour is fresh and tangy, with a distinctive wild character that sets it apart from cultivated annuums.
Plants are hardy and shrubby, often 1–2 m tall in their natural habitat, thriving in rocky, arid terrain. They are perennial when grown in the right conditions and can live for several years.
Seeds are slow to germinate, often taking 3–6 weeks at 28–30 °C, but once established, plants are resilient and rewarding, producing flushes of pods over a long season.
This chilli is not only a piece of horticultural history but also a living link to the heritage and traditions of the Tarahumara people, who have relied on it for generations.
