Rocoto

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Rocoto peppers

A Manzano pepper plant with ripe pods

Rocoto flower bud with lots of Trichomes, characteristic that gives this species its name.

Typical flower of a Rocoto: purple corolla with white spots in the center.


Heat: Very Hot (SR: 50,000-250,000)

The rocoto, or locoto (Capsicum pubescens) is a medium sized round chili pepper common in Peru and Bolivia. Rocoto pods have thick walls, like a bell pepper, but are quite hot. Foliage is dark green and pubescent (hairy). The plant has purple blossoms with yellow spots and the seeds are dark brown or black, whereas the seeds and seed-bearing membrane of most domesticated Capsicum species are light in color. The plants grow up to 6 ft high if supported. Capsicum pubescens is a perennial, and if protected from frost and pruned back it will grow many years.

Rocoto is among the oldest of domesticated peppers, and was grown up to 5000 years ago. It is probably related to undomesticated peppers that still grow in South America (cardenasii, eximium, and others). This pepper is a species; most other chili peppers are cultivars or hybrids from Capsicum annuum.

The rocoto will grow well in temperate and even cool climates without hot summers, unlike most hot chilis.

Although most rocotos are red, there is also a yellow type that is common in the Caribbean and Mexico and an orange variety.

Other names for Rocoto: locoto, manzano, canario (the yellow type), caballo, & peron. also another of its lesser known and used names is the peruvian death pepper.

A popular dish in South America, the peruvian rocoto relleno, is prepared by stuffing rocotos with a meat mixture.

In the United States, locoto sauce is sometimes available at Latin-American grocers. Locoto peppers themselves are available in some markets fresh, but also occasionally frozen.