What are cheiro roxa peppers?
Looking for an ornamental pepper with more to it than just looks? The cheiro roxa is a uniquely colored purple chili that many consider one of the prettiest peppers for landscaping. Plus, unlike most other ornamentals that lack flavor, the cheiro roxa delivers both an extra-hot spiciness (60,000 to 80,000 Scoville heat units – more than a cayenne, though less than a habanero) and a delicious fruity flavor.
Table of Contents
- What are cheiro roxa peppers?
- Cheiro roxa fast facts
- How hot are cheiro roxa peppers?
- What do these chilies look like?
- What do cheiro roxa taste like?
- How can you use cheiro roxa chilies?
- Where can you buy cheiro roxa?
- Must-read related posts
Cheiro roxa fast facts
| Scoville heat units (SHU) | 60,000 – 80,000 |
| Median heat (SHU) | 70,000 |
| Jalapeño reference point | 8 to 32 times hotter |
| Capsicum species | Chinense |
| Origin | Brazil |
| Use | Culinary |
| Size | Roughly 1 inch long, squat |
| Flavor | Citrusy, Fruity, Sweet |
How hot are cheiro roxa peppers?
Weighing in at 60,000 to 80,000 Scoville heat units (or SHU), cheiro roxa sit at the lower end of extra-hot peppers. Compared to our jalapeño reference point, this chili is 8 to 32 times hotter than a jalapeño pepper, so there’s certainly a kick. It’s hotter than cayenne chilies (30,000 to 50,000 SHU), but the cheiro roxa sits well below the likes of the habanero (100,000 to 350,000 SHU.)
What do these chilies look like?
The peppers themselves grow to about one inch in length. There’s a squatness to them – sort of like the pepper was slightly pushed in from both sides, creating an exaggerated middle that tapers to a point. It’s reminiscent of the look of the scotch bonnet chili.
But where these chilies stand out is in their color. As they age, cheiro roxa chilies don’t play by the same color handbook as other chilies. Most peppers age from green to red. Cheiro roxa, instead, age from a dark purple to a creamy purple-red (almost pink). There’s a candy-like quality to the coloring because of the creaminess of the hue. It’s certainly a standout in a garden, and they work quite well as ornamental peppers. Plus, they make for very good eating too.
What do cheiro roxa taste like?
Many chilies known for their ornamental beauty tend to the upper reaches of the pepper scale. Most ornamentals are bred to emphasize their looks, sacrificing flavor and heat control. But the cheiro roxa delivers in the flavor department. These are surprisingly tasty chilies.
There’s a fruitiness akin to habanero pepper here. Cheiro roxa tend to be slightly sweeter than habanero, but there’s also the chance for a little more bitterness, too. If you want a unique habanero substitute for the edible garden (along with the desire for a little less heat), growing cheiro roxa is a terrific alternative.
How can you use cheiro roxa chilies?
You can use
Where can you buy cheiro roxa?
Here’s where things get difficult. These are very hard chilies to find fresh or dried. You can buy cheiro roxa seeds online and grow them yourself for your garden or edible landscaping project. But finding them for sale is a much harder job. Consider local chili pepper farms and farmers’ markets as a start.
If you’re one for growing hot peppers and love edible landscaping, though, pick up those seeds and give this pepper the shot it deserves. They really are distinct among ornamental pepper options – uniquely colorful and surprisingly tasty.
Must-read related posts
- The Hot Pepper List: Search our list of 150+ different chilies. Search them by name, heat level, flavor, and more.
- Our Hot Sauce Rankings: We review and rank 100+ hot sauces. Search them by scores or even by the chili pepper used.
- Ornamental Peppers Guide: Discover some of the most beautiful chilies you’ll find on the Scoville scale.