Aji Colorado - 15 seeds

Aji Colorado is a traditional South American chili pepper, considered one of the distinctive varieties in this group. Its origins are associated with Bolivia and Peru , where representatives of Capsicum baccatum have a long history of culinary use.

The fruits are elongated, approximately 7–10 cm long and 2–3 cm wide. Their surface is slightly wrinkled, which gives the variety its characteristic appearance. In the initial stages, the peppers are green, and when fully ripe, they acquire a shiny orange-red color .

Aji Colorado is also distinguished by its pleasant and valuable taste , combined with a medium-high spiciness. The manufacturer indicates 20,000 units on the Scoville scale , making it suitable for lovers of distinctly spicy peppers, without reaching the extreme levels of the hottest varieties.

The variety can be grown both in a greenhouse and outdoors . For higher yields, we recommend greenhouse cultivation. Seeds are started indoors between January and April , maintaining a temperature of 20–30°C for germination. Plants can be moved outdoors around the end of May, once conditions are warm enough.

As the plants grow, they can be tied to stakes to provide the necessary support. Another option is to prune them to create more compact plants.

An interesting advantage of Aji Colorado is the possibility of extending the season . In the fall, the plants can be transferred to pots and brought indoors, where in a sufficiently bright place they can continue to form and ripen fruits.

Characteristics of the variety

✔️ Variety: "Aji Colorado" (Aji Colorado)
✔️ Botanical name: Capsicum baccatum
✔️ Type: Chili pepper
✔️ Origin: Bolivia / Peru
✔️ Hotness: 20,000 SHU
✔️ Fruit length: 7–10 cm
✔️ Fruit width: 2-3 cm
✔️ Surface: Slightly wrinkled
✔️ Starting color: Green
✔️ Ripe color: Shiny orange-red
✔️ Taste: Distinctive and highly prized
✔️ Spicy level: Medium spicy
✔️ Cultivation: Outdoors or in a greenhouse.

🌡️ Anger

🔥 20,000 SHU on the Scoville scale

Aji Colorado offers a noticeable but relatively balanced spiciness. This places it above the mildly spicy varieties, but well below the extremely hot representatives of Capsicum chinense . The value given by Vreeken's Zaden is 20,000 Scoville .

🌱 Sowing and growing

Sowing period: January – April

Sowing: indoors

Germination temperature: 20–30°C

Planting outdoors: approximately end of May

Cultivation: outdoors or in a greenhouse

For higher yield: growing in a greenhouse is recommended.

Once the plants reach a certain height, they can be tied to stakes or other suitable support. If space is limited, pruning is also possible to keep the plants more compact.

🪴 Season extension

In late summer or fall, the plants can be transplanted into pots and moved indoors .

When placed in a bright and relatively warm location, they can continue to develop after the standard outdoor season ends. This is especially useful if there are still unripe fruits on the plants.

🍴 Culinary app

Thanks to the combination of characteristic flavor and 20,000 SHU spiciness , Aji Colorado is suitable for a variety of spicy recipes:

• Homemade hot sauces
• Salsa
• Pickling
• Pickles
• Soups and stews
• Vegetable dishes
• South American recipes
• Drying
• Preparation of hot spices and mixtures

When fully ripe, the orange-red fruits are also suitable for drying and subsequent grinding.

💡 Tip from Urban Botaniks: For "Aji Colorado" it is worth sowing early in the winter. Maintain 20–30°C during germination and provide strong light after seedlings emerge. When grown in a greenhouse, the long warm season gives the plants more time to develop a crop and the fruits to reach their characteristic shiny orange-red color.