LEAF Network Linking Edible Arizona Forests

This LEAF Network website is growing! Our site is currently under construction. We are adding new resources and pages almost daily. Thank you for visiting our work in progress!

Back

chiltepin

Member profile details

IDENTIFICATION

Common Name

chiltepin

Photo #1

Scientific Name

Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum (Dunal) Heiser and Pickersgill

Family

Solanaceae

Species Description

Chiltepin plants are medium-sized woody annual to perennial shrubs from 5 inches to eight feet tall depending on growing conditions. The stems are widely branched. Leaves are tear-drop shaped, entire, and arranged alternately on the stem. Flowers are white. The fruits of wild plants are small, spherical, and fruits of domesticated plants may be slightly elongated to oval. Fruits persist on the plant. They are bright red to orange, very hot, thin-fleshed and easily dried.

NATURAL / CULTURAL HISTORY

AZ Native or Introduced

Native of Arizona

Natural Range

Chiltepines grow wild from southern Arizona and Texas through Mexico and Central America. Within Arizona, wild populations grow in the Chiricahua, Tumacacori, Baboquivari, and Ajo mountains.

Natural Habitat

Natural habitat includes canyons and slopes of desert riparian habitats in mesquite and oak woodlands.

Cultural-Historic Notes

Chiltepines are the wild progenitors of domesticated chiles, and people have utilized wild chiles for about 10,000 years. Chiltepines are an important food resource and economic crop in Sonora, where families have harvested wild chiltepines for generations. The Tarahumara peoples use chiltepines as preventative medicine, especially for maladies thought to occur from witchcraft. Chiltepines are also used in Yaqui and Opata healing rituals.

GROWTH FORM & RATE

Growth Form

Shrub

Tree or Understory

Understory

Other Growth Characteristics

Evergreen

Growth Rate

Moderate

Canopy Diameter

1-2 feet

Tree Height

1-5+ feet

Chill Hours

None required

Freeze Tolerance

Frost sensitive; plants die back after frost and regrow during the next growing period.

Site, Micro-Climate, and Growing Considerations

They grow best in partial sun; in the wild, they are usually found growing under a "nurse" tree. Direct sun can harm plants.

Elevation Range

3600-4400 feet in Arizona

Appropriate Arizona Elevation Categories

MID DESERT: Tucson, Ajo, Safford, Casa Grande - USDA Zones 9a-9b (20-30ºF)
LOW DESERT: Phoenix, Lake Havasu City, Yuma - USDA Zones 9b-10a (25-35ºF)

USDA Interactive Plant Zone Map for Arizona

USDA Interactive Plant Zone Map for Arizona

WATER

Relative Plant Water Use

Very Low

Post-Establishment Irrigation Needs

1 X Month in Growing Season

Notes on Species-Specific Water Needs

In the wild, chiltepines prefer xeroriparian areas and protection under nurse plants that keep soil moisture slightly more elevated. The plants should not be overwatered, but they produce higher yeilds with supplemental irrigation.

CARE

Pollination

Chiltepin plants have perfect flowers that are self fertile, but insects can facilitate cross pollination among plants.

Soils

Plants grow on sand to loam and prefer a rich organic soil and compost--provided by nurse plants in wild conditions.

Propagation

Chiltepin seeds need warmth to germinate; place seeds on a planting tray, sprinkle lightly with soil, and keep warm and moist until germination. After germination, chiltepin plants still need warm temperatures, slightly elevated humidity, and sunshine, but not too much direct exposure.

Pest & Disease Control

Plants are fairly disease resistant, but can be affected by fungus and aphids under damp or humid conditions.

Pruning Notes

None

HARVEST & PROCESSING

Edible Parts

Chiltepins fruits are harvested from wild plants by hand and sundried. Chiltepines are popular in Southwestern and northern Mexican cooking; they are crushed and added to salsas, soups and marinades. Green chiltepines may be pickled in vinegar. The ripe fruits rank very high on the Scoville scale (50,000 to 100,000 Scoville units) or an 8 on a scale of 10. Chiltepines are high in vitamins A and C.

Harvest Months

January
September
October
November
December

Harvest and Processing Guide

Harvest and Processing Guide

LEAF is under the fiduciary stewardship of the Arizona Community Tree Council, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

PO Box 65122, Phoenix, Arizona 85082-5122

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

This website and other LEAF Network products shown here was prepared under the Diverse Urban Forest grant, WCG 14-501, administered by the Arizona Community Tree Council. Funds for this project were provided by the Urban and Community Forestry Financial Assistance Program administered through Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management – Urban and Community Forestry Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. In accordance with Federal law and USDA policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability (Not all prohibited basis applies to all programs). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.