Varieties›C. annuum›Medium›Jalapeño
MediumC. annuumMexico

Jalapeño

huachinango · chile gordo · cuaresmeño · chipotle

8,000Scoville Heat Units

Heat context

Carolina Reaper
Ghost Pepper
Habanero
Jalapeño
Growing guide
Botanical data
Heat (SHU)8,000
SpeciesC. annuum
OriginMexico
Days to mature70
Plant height60–90 cm
Wall thicknessThick
Ripe colourred
YieldHeavy
Growth habitBush
Germination7-14
FoliageGreen
Unripe colourgreen

About this variety

The jalapeño is one of the world's most popular peppers, named after Xalapa, the capital of Veracruz, Mexico. These thick-walled peppers are typically harvested green at 5-10 cm long, though they ripen to red when left on the plant. When smoked and dried, green jalapeños become chipotles, a staple of Mexican cuisine.

Flavour profile

brightgrassyslightly sweetcrisp heat
Culinary scores
Sauce
7/10
Drying
9/10
Pickling
10/10

Culinary uses

Incredibly versatile: fresh in salsas and pico de gallo, pickled (en escabeche), stuffed for poppers, smoked into chipotles, or sliced as toppings. Essential in Tex-Mex and Mexican cooking.

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Quick reference

Heat8,000 SHU
SpeciesC. annuum
OriginMexico
Days to ripe70
Ripe colourred
Best forSauce, Drying, Pickling, Incredibly versatile: fresh in salsas and pico de gallo
Data confidence: 5/5. Sourced from community submissions and verified references. Suggest a correction