Capsicum Frutescens

Peri-Peri or Pili-Pili

By Jim (Habanero) Duffy

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Capsicum Frutescens

The most popular Frutescens is the Tabasco. Most pods of this species are small and pepper pods grow upright. The other popular one we grow is the Peri-Peri or Pili-Pili from South Africa. Also know as the African Bird's Eye. There is very little variation in the pods unlike other species like Annum and Chinense. Other varieties that are popular are the Malagueta fromm Brazil and the Siling Labuyo from the Phillipines. One we are trying to grow now is the Trinidad Bird Pepper.

Peri-Peri- or Pili-Pili (Capsicum frutescens)

My second most favorite bird pepper type from the South region of the continent of Africa. Pili Pili means "pepper pepper" in Swahili. It is also called piri piri, peri peri and the British years ago called it the African Devil pepper because of it's heat. It grows in the wild but now is cultivated for spice production. Popular in African cooking and also used in a marinade for roasting chickens or if you don't have time for a marinade then just sprinkle some pili pili pepper flakes on your meat before serving. The Pili Pili peppers grow upright and mature to a an orange or red color. They are about .125 in diameter and .75 inches long. Peri Peri or Pili Pili can produce bushes over 4 feet tall.

At Refining Fire Chiles we isolate our seed production plants to avoid cross-pollination with other chile species. If you want to try it yourself contact us for seeds, plants (March-August) and fresh chiles (September).

We also grow the Trinidad 7 Pot, Trinidad Scorpion, Naga Morich, Chocolate Habanero and many other Hot Chile Pepper plant varieties!