Title: More Chile Varieties
Categories: Spice Info
Yield: 1 Servings

1

Info file

There are five different species of DOMESTICATED chiles. Another 7 or 8 species in genus Capsicum produce fruits which are used by mankind for food (chiles), and another 10-15 species produce fruits that are chiles no doubt, but are not used by humans (I don't know why these others aren't used -- presumably fruits too too tiny, too bitter, not pungent, etc., whatever).

Of the five domesticated species, typical cultivars are:

C. annuum: Many thousands of named cultivars. Tend to like dry climates. All bell & Southwestern USA chiles, & essentially all Mexican types. You can expect all varieties common in USA to be C. annuum, including cayenne, poblano, serrano, jalapeno, New Mexican (anaheim /santa fe /big jim /whatever), wax, cascabel, tepin/pequin, etc. C. frutescens: hundreds of "named" cultivars, mostly collected in the wild. Tend to like tropical climates. E.g.: tobasco (Mexico), phrik ki nu (Thailand), Zimbabwe bird (Zimbabwe), pimenta malagueta (Brasil). C. chinense: A few thousands of named cultivars. Tend to like tropical climates. Some cultivars: habanero, scotch bonnet, & similar (Caribbean), aji yuquitania (Colombia). C. baccatum: 1-2000 named cultivars. These are South American chiles (there called aji, and most aji(s) are C. baccatum), e.g. aji amarillo (Peru), chapeu de frade (Brasil), dedo de moca (Brasil). C. pubescens: really only one type, usually called rocoto (the Peruvian name), and though numerous local selections vary in size /shape /color they are still simply called red- or yellow- rocoto [a.k.a. locoto (Bolivia), and chile manzano & chile peron (Mexico/Central America, where this species was introduced within the last 100 years].

Brent

There are only 5 species of Capsicum that are generally cultivated. There are _many_ more wild species, some of which some members of this list have cultivated ...

Capsicum annuum - bell pepper, New Mexico chiles, jalapeño, Hungarian wax, Cayenne, etc., etc. Capsicum baccatum - Aji, Aji Amarillo Capsicum chinensis - Habanero, Scotch Bonnet, Rocotillo Capsicum frutescens - Tabasco Capsicum pubescens - Manzano, Rocoto

In the US, C. annuum is the most common, with the greatest variety of cultivars. Seed for many C. annuum varieties and usually one each variety of C. chinensis and C. frutescens are readily available in nurseries ... C. baccatum and C. pubescens are a bit more difficult to find.

DAVe

From: Brent Thompson Date: 22 Aug 97 Chile-Heads List Ä

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