Have you grown Rocoto peppers yet? These special super hot peppers actually do well in cooler temperatures and prefers temperatures between 45-60˚ F. You can also grow it in partial shade in hotter areas, or even grow it in greenhouses over the winter months (if kept above freezing).
The Rocoto Pepper plant grows very tall and is almost vine-like. It it sometimes call the tree pepper and it has beautiful purple flowers, it almost looks tropical! This meaty pepper is HOT, with a Scoville rating of 30,000+, so it is a spicy beast, much hotter than Jalapeños.
The brilliant orange color of Rocoto Peppers is complemented by it's unique black seeds inside it's thick flesh. The tall plants have fuzzy dark green leaves, it really is a jewel in the garden.
Rocoto Peppers are originally from the Andes mountains, so that's why they tolerate cooler temperatures. In fact, we find that the Rocoto Peppers don't always flower when temperatures get hotter than 70-80˚ F – so it's good to keep them in a more shady area of the garden if the weather gets hotter than that.
Rocoto Peppers are originally from the Andes mountains, so that's why they tolerate cooler temperatures. In fact, we find that the Rocoto Peppers don't always flower when temperatures get hotter than 70-80˚ F – so it's good to keep them in a more shady area of the garden if the weather gets hotter than that.
Rocoto Peppers are great in salsas, hot sauces, stews – especially Peruvian and Bolivian dishes such as Crema de Rocoto (Spicy Rocoto Pepper Sauce) or Peruvian Chicken with chile sauce. They are quite juicy for peppers, and are not as good for drying as they have thick walls.
You won't find Rocotos at your regular grocery store or even Farmer's Market. They are hard to find, so that's why it's so fun to grow these unusual and special spicy peppers in your garden!
