fruit

flower

plant

leaf

fruit:

• yellow-orange, round to oval, sometimes with a hint of edges and a tip
• strong fruity citrus scent
• surprisingly strong heat of peppers just a couple millimeters in size

plant:

• dome-shaped thick bush
• half the size of Aji Charapita
• stands out due to its smaller, dark green, meaty, pronouncedly grooved leaves
• small white flowers
• one plant can grow hundreds of peppers

cultivation:

• tiny seeds sprout in stable temperature above 24°C and mild humidity of the substrate
• they best prosper in a properly ventilated glass or plastic green-house
• the occasional lack of water is well tolerated by these plants
• thanks to the small size, these plants are well suited for indoor growing or as a "bonchi" (bonsai chilli)

use:

• fresh fruits are suitable for pickling, either separately or in a mix
• while cooking, these peppers add a unique tropical taste to a salsa or sauces
• frequently used dried, crushed or ground
• powdered peppers reach twice the heat of Cayenne pepper

curiosities:

• supposedly the most expensive pepper in the world
• fruits resemble Indian pepper, Tepin
• originated in the northern jungle of Peru
• thanks to its rarity it is referred to as "the Mother of all chilli peppers"

synonyms:

• Charapilla
• Tettinas de Monk
• Wild Peruvian chilli pepper