''Capsicum baccatum'', also simply referred to as ' (), is a member of the genus ''

Capsicum ''Capsicum'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the Solanum, nightshade family Solanaceae, native to the Americas, cultivated worldwide for their edible fruit, which are generally known as "peppers" or "capsicum". Chili peppers grow on five s ...

'', and is one of the five domesticated chili pepper species. The fruit tends to be very pungent and registers 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville heat unit scale.

Botany

Chili pepper varieties in the ''C. baccatum'' species have white or cream-colored flowers and typically have a green or gold corolla. The flowers are either insect or self-pollinated. The fruit pods of the ''baccatum'' species have been cultivated into a wide variety of shapes and sizes, unlike other ''capsicum'' species, which tend to have a characteristic shape. Unlike a ''

Capsicum frutescens ''Capsicum frutescens'' is a wild chili pepper having plant genetics, genetic proximity to the cultivated pepper ''Capsicum chinense'' native to Central America, Central and South America. Pepper cultivars of ''C. frutescens'' can be annual or sh ...

'' plant, the pods typically hang down and can have a citrus or fruity flavor. Cultivated baccatum (''C. baccatum'' var. ''pendulum'') is the domesticated pepper of choice of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. The

Moche culture The Moche civilization (; alternatively, the Moche culture or the Early, Pre- or Proto-Chimú culture, Chimú) flourished in northern Peru with its capital near present-day Moche, Trujillo, Peru from about 100 to 800 AD during the Cultural peri ...

often represented fruits and vegetables in their art, including ''ají amarillo'' peppers. South American farmers also grow ''C. baccatum'' as ornamental plants for export.

Cultivars

This species of

chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

includes the following

cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...

s: * ''Ají amarillo'', also called ''amarillo chili'' and ''ají escabeche'' * Bishop's crown * Lemon drop, ''ají limón'' or ''ají limo'' * Piquanté pepper File:Capsicum baccatum flower 02.jpg, alt=Capsicum baccatum Flower, ''Capsicum baccatum'' flower File:Bishop's crown fruit on plant.jpg, alt=Bishop's crown fruit on its plant, Bishop's crown fruit on the plant File:Capsicum bacatuum flower.jpg, Flower File:C baccatum lemon drop fruit.jpg, Cultivar "Lemon Drop"

Culinary use

The ''C. baccatum'' species, notably the ''ají amarillo chili'', has its origins in ancient Peru and across the Andean region of South America. It is typically associated with Peruvian cuisine, and is considered part of its condiment trinity together with red onion and coriander. ''Ají amarillo'' literally means "yellow chili"; however, the yellow color appears only when cooked, as the mature pods are bright orange. ''Ají amarillo'' is one of the ingredients of

Peruvian Peruvians (''/peruanas'') are the citizens of Peru. What is now Peru has been inhabited for several millennia by cultures such as the Caral before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Peruvian population decreased from an estimated 5–9 ...

and Bolivian cuisines. It is used as a condiment, especially in many dishes and sauces. In Peru, the chilis are mostly used fresh, and in Bolivia, dried and ground. Common dishes with ''ají amarillo'' are the Peruvian stew ''

ají de gallina Ají de gallina is a Peruvian cuisine, Peruvian chicken stew. The dish is considered a popular Peruvian comfort food, and the name translates to "chicken chili" or "hen's chili" in English. Ají de gallina is composed of a sofrito base made by sa ...

'' ("hen chili"), '' Papa a la Huancaína'', and the Bolivian ''fricasé Paceño'', among others. In Ecuadorian cuisine, ''ají amarillo'', onion, and lemon juice (amongst others) are served in a separate bowl with many meals as an optional condiment. In Colombian, Peruvian, and Ecuadorian cuisines, ''ají'' sauce is also a common condiment. The Ají Amarillo pepper has been named the "Flavor of the Year" for 2025 by McCormick & Company, a prominent spice company. This pepper is expected to see a 59% increase in menu appearances over the next four years.

Etymology

Some form of the word ''ají'' has been used since approximately 4600 BCE. It was first used in the protolanguage Otomanguean. It then spread along with the Capsicum fruit from Central and South America to other pepper-growing regions. ''Capsicum baccatum'' is still referred to as ''ají'', while other peppers are referred to as "pepper" via the Spanish conquistadors noting the similarity in heat sensation to

black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit (the peppercorn), which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diameter ...

. The Latin binomial name is composed of ''Capsicum'', from the Greek ''kapos'', and ''Baccatum'', meaning "berry-like."

References

External links