AMSEED American Seed Intelligence Platform

Tepin

Heirloom pepper · Capsicum annuum

Breeding
Heirloom
Growth habit
-
Days to maturity
100-130 days
Fruit
red
Weight
-
Bred by
-

Also known as

NameKindNote
Chiltepin Shared name (ambiguous) Tepin, chiltepin and chile piquin are used for wild and semi-wild small-podded C. annuum across a wide range. The names track region and pod shape rather than distinct cultivars.

Commonly confused with

These are different varieties. A name shared between them does not make them the same seed.

Origin & history

The wild ancestor form of C. annuum, growing untended across northern Mexico and the Sonoran desert borderlands. Pea-sized, fiercely hot, and spread by birds, which is why it is found under desert shrubs rather than in rows.

Measurements

MeasurementValueContext
Days to maturity 100-130 days
Scoville heat 50,000-100,000 SHU
Pod length 0.5-1 cm

Traits

Disease resistance

No documented disease resistance, typical of heirlooms and older open-pollinated varieties. See pepper diseases for the cultural playbook that fills the gap.

Related varieties

Sources & References

Evidence: 2 sources, all independent references.

  1. Chile Pepper Institute research and variety releases · New Mexico State University, University or Government
  2. Peppers: Vegetable and Spice Capsicums · CABI (2012), Scholarly Reference