Description
Chilli Name : NEGRO DE VALLE
Chilli Species : Annuum
Chilli Origin : South America (likely Peru or Chile)
Chilli Heat : Mild–Medium
Negro de Valle — meaning “Black of the Valley” — is a traditional South American chilli, known for its dark ripening colour and balanced, earthy flavour. Believed to originate from the Andean valleys of Peru or Chile, this variety has long been used in regional cooking for its sweet, smoky notes and striking appearance.
Pods are medium-sized and slightly tapered, 6–8 cm long, ripening from green to deep chocolate-brown or near black. The flavour is rich, sweet, and mellow, with a gentle warmth around 3,000–8,000 SHU. When dried, the pods develop a pleasant smokiness, making them excellent for sauces, mole-style pastes, or dried flakes.
Plants are upright and productive (60–80 cm tall), producing generous clusters of pods that darken beautifully in the sun. Adapted to highland growing conditions, it performs well in both open ground and greenhouse environments.
Seeds germinate best at 26–30 °C, sprouting in 10–21 days. Plants mature in roughly 90–100 days, yielding steadily through late summer.
