Pre-orders for 2027 open in early January. Plants are expected to ship from mid-April.
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What makes it special?
Tiny fruit, astonishing aroma and an extraordinary origin: Aji Charapita is a rare chilli from the Peruvian Amazon and one of the best-known chilli rarities of South America.
The pea-sized fruit ripens yellow to yellow-orange and typically sits at around 30,000–50,000 Scoville. Its fruity, aromatic character makes it culinarily very interesting despite its tiny size.
Aji Charapita is often marketed as the "world's most expensive chilli". There's no official world record for a fixed price per kilo, though – the variety is exciting even without that superlative.
Flavour & Use
Aji Charapita combines a clear heat of around 30,000–50,000 Scoville Heat Units with a fruity, aromatic flavour. The tiny berries have a surprisingly intense aroma and are traditionally used as a seasoning chilli in their homeland.
The fruit can be added fresh to dishes, processed into salsas and sauces, or dried. Given its small size, the harvest dries especially well as whole chillies and can be dosed finely later.
The common description as the "world's most expensive chilli" is above all a popular nickname. There's no generally established, official world record price for it.
Fruit & Plant
Aji Charapita belongs to Capsicum chinense. The fruit is very small, round and usually only around 0.5–1 cm. It ripens from green to yellow or yellow-orange.
The plant grows bushy and strongly branched and can reach around 80–120 cm under good conditions. With its numerous small fruit, it looks especially decorative at ripening time.
The variety needs plenty of warmth and a long season. In cooler regions especially, a sheltered spot or greenhouse is an advantage.
Growing & Care
We recommend a full-sun, warm and sheltered spot for Aji Charapita. The variety develops rather slowly and benefits clearly from as constant temperatures as possible and a long growing season.
In a pot, we recommend at least 8 litres, ideally 10 litres of soil volume; 15–20 litres is ideal if you have the space. The substrate should be loose, nutrient-rich and well-draining. Water evenly, but avoid waterlogging.
Feed regularly and moderately during growth and fruiting. Aji Charapita is not frost-hardy but can be overwintered frost-free and grown as a multi-year plant.
Variety Data
Botanical species: Capsicum chinense
Origin: the Peruvian Amazon
Heat: hot
Scoville: approx. 30,000–50,000 SHU
Flavour: fruity, aromatic
Fruit colour: green → yellow to yellow-orange
Fruit size: approx. 0.5–1 cm
Fruit shape: small, round and berry-like
Plant height: approx. 80–120 cm, depending on location and growing conditions
Growth: bushy and strongly branched
Ripening time: late
Position: full sun, warm and sheltered
Suitable for: pot, patio, greenhouse and sheltered outdoor spots
Pot size: at least 8 litres, ideally 10 litres; 15–20 litres ideal
Use: fresh, salsa, sauces, drying and seasoning
Overwintering: possible frost-free
Special feature: a rare Peruvian chilli with tiny, aromatic fruit
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Aji Charapita - Chilli Plant
Regular price€4,99 EUR
Regular priceSale price€4,99 EUR
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Aji Charapita – a small chilli rarity from Peru
The Aji Charapita chilli plant is an extraordinary rarity from the Peruvian Amazon. Its tiny yellow fruit is only about pea-sized, yet carries an intense fruity aroma. That's why we list it among our chilli rarities. Botanically, Aji Charapita belongs to Capsicum chinense.
How hot is Aji Charapita?
Aji Charapita typically sits at around 30,000–50,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The small fruit delivers considerably more heat than its size would suggest, while bringing a fruity, aromatic profile at the same time.
Is Aji Charapita the world's most expensive chilli?
Aji Charapita is often described in trade and media as the "world's most expensive chilli". However, there's no generally recognised official world record for a fixed price per kilo. The high price figures sometimes found are partly linked to the tiny fruit and the labour-intensive harvest. As a rarity, the variety is exceptional even without any record claim.
Drying and using the tiny fruit
The round, berry-like fruit grows only around 0.5–1 cm and ripens from green to yellow or yellow-orange. In its home region, it is traditionally used as a seasoning chilli. Fresh, you can scatter it over dishes or turn it into salsas and sauces. Thanks to its small size, the harvest is especially easy to dry as whole chillies and dose finely later – how that works is shown in our guide to drying chillies.
Growing Aji Charapita
Aji Charapita loves warmth and needs a long season. A sunny, sheltered spot or a greenhouse is therefore especially worthwhile. In a pot, we recommend at least 8 litres, ideally 10 litres; with enough space, 15–20 litres is ideal. The plant grows bushy and strongly branched and can carry numerous small fruit. It grows around 80–120 cm tall, develops rather slowly and ripens late. Aji Charapita isn't frost-hardy but can be overwintered frost-free and grown as a perennial; more on this in our guide to overwintering chillies.
More rare Aji varieties
If you enjoy growing unusual Aji varieties, our Aji Confusion is another rare variety in our range. Flavour, fruit shape and botanical classification differ, but both fit wonderfully into a collection of special chillies. Also yellow and fruity, but with 5–7 cm pods and a lemony aroma, is the Lemon Drop, also known as Aji Lemon.
Absolutely recommended! I’m completely impressed with this chili plant seller. The quality of the plants is outstanding – strong, healthy, and clearly grown with passion and expertise.
The absolute highlight for me, however, was that this seller is one of the few places that offers my all-time favorite variety, the Lemon Drop chili. I’ve finally found a reliable source for this fantastic variety!
Shipping was fast, and the plants were perfectly packaged, so they arrived in excellent condition. I can wholeheartedly recommend this seller to any chili lover looking for top quality and fast delivery. I will definitely be ordering here again!
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“My annual joy has arrived – little chili plants, grown with so much love!”
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Thank you so much for your wonderful service! I’m already looking forward to ordering again next year.
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Super friendly service when buying chili plants, and the products are truly excellent. My #1 source for heat :) The ultimate compliment came from an Indian colleague who said that with Tschida chili sauces, he can finally enjoy the level of heat he knows from home here in Europe!
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Tschida Tschili – where heat and flavor come together in perfect harmony. The chili products are simply outstanding. I love spicy food, but many products just burn your tongue without delivering any real flavor. With Tschida Tschili, it’s completely different. For an experienced palate, everything is very enjoyable. The flavors are perfectly matched to the level of heat, resulting in truly delicious products.
I visit the farm from time to time as part of my culinary tours with groups. What can I say? Jan and his family are simply the perfect hosts – friendly, authentic, and genuinely local. I always really enjoy visiting you!
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WE'RE CELEBRATING!
More than just chillies is growing here right now: our new headquarters and our new greenhouse are taking shape. With our topping-out celebration we're marking an important milestone – and we'd love you to share in it!
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