Collector Pepper
Brazilian Starfish (Capsicum baccatum) brings sweet, fruity flavour and noticeable heat to fresh salsa, pickles and sauces. Its flattened, lobed pods make distinctive slices. Allow space for its spreading growth.
CASA VERDE · HEAT PROFILE
Medium
- Sweet
- Mild
- Medium — this variety
- Hot
- Super hot
Understanding the heat
A diamond marks the midpoint of a listed range, or the listed value when only one number is given. An arrow marks a stated limit. These are variety guides, not measurements of our seed lot. This guide uses unequal numerical bands: sweet 0; mild up to 10,000; medium 10,000–50,000; hot 50,000–800,000; super hot from 800,000 SHU (display capped at 3 million). Heat varies between fruits and with growing conditions.
Shop all pepper seeds in Canada
- Packet
- 10+ seeds per packet
- Maturity
- Harvest fully coloured red pods; allow a long warm season
- Heat
- 10000–30000 SHU
- Plant habit
- Vigorous, spreading plants; provide support
- Origin
- Variety associated with Brazil
FROM GARDEN TO KITCHEN
Brazilian Starfish, from seed to supper.
Chop its red pods into a fresh salsa, slice them for refrigerator pickles or blend them into a cooked sauce. Taste a small piece first and adjust the quantity: these fruity peppers bring noticeable heat.
01 / CHOP A FRESH SALSA
Small pieces, bright flavour.
Combine finely chopped pepper with tomato, cucumber and red onion. Add lime juice and serve freshly made with tacos or grilled vegetables, using only as much pepper as suits your taste.
02 / SLICE FOR REFRIGERATOR PICKLES
Scalloped slices, a tangy bite.
The lobed pods make distinctive slices for a chilled pepper-and-onion pickle. Follow a tested refrigerator-pickle recipe and keep it refrigerated; this serving idea is not a shelf-stable canning recipe.
03 / BLEND A COOKED SAUCE
Red pepper meets roasted tomato.
Cook chopped pepper with tomato and a little onion, then blend to the texture you like. Spoon a small amount over roasted vegetables, rice or grilled fish, adjusting the pepper quantity before cooking.
AI-generated culinary illustrations. Serving inspiration, not photographs of our harvest. Select a photo to enlarge.
CASA VERDE · GROWER’S NOTES
Get to know your pepper.
Brazilian Starfish (Capsicum baccatum) brings sweet, fruity flavour and noticeable heat to fresh salsa, pickles and sauces. Its flattened, lobed pods make distinctive slices. Allow space for its spreading growth.
- Flavor: Sweet and fruity with a crisp, juicy texture, often with notes of citrus or apple. Some varieties may have slightly floral undertones.
- Heat: Moderate, with a range of 10,000 to 30,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), similar to a serrano pepper. The heat can vary, and it often has a slow, creeping burn that is flavorful rather than overwhelming.
- Origin: Brazilian Starfish is associated with Brazil. This describes the variety’s history, not the production location of this seed lot.
- Appearance: Flattened, lobed fruit resembling a small star. The red Brazilian Starfish ripens from green to red; yellow-fruited selections are separate lines.
-
Culinary Uses:
- Raw: Excellent for eating fresh in salads or salsas, as its sweet, crunchy texture is delightful.
- Pickling: Its dense, crisp walls hold up well to pickling.
- Sauces and Seasoning: The fruity flavor pairs well with fish dishes, hot sauces, and salsas. It can also be dried and ground into powder.
- Ornamental: Its striking shape and color make it a decorative addition to gardens or containers.
-
Growth and Harvest: Allow a long warm season and pick fully coloured red pods. Timing depends on conditions; a calendar date does not guarantee a ripe harvest.
Versatile Culinary Use: Slice into salsa, blend into a hot sauce or dry for seasoning. Taste a small amount first and adjust the quantity to suit the dish.
Why Choose Our Seeds: Each packet contains 10+ seeds. Germination, plant growth and yield depend on growing conditions and care.
Growing Tips: Start indoors, then harden plants off before moving them outside after frost risk has passed. Choose a sunny position with well-drained soil, water consistently and support spreading branches.
Planning a Canadian pepper garden? Explore more pepper seeds available in Canada and read our guide to when to start pepper seeds in Canada.
Cook your harvest
Use your harvest in these recipes. Check the variety notes and substitutions in each recipe.
Start indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost. Germinate at 26–30 °C on a heat mat; peppers stall below 22 °C. Pot up to 10–15 cm before hardening off outside after nights stay above 12 °C.
Feed balanced through bloom, then bump potassium for fruiting. Stake taller varieties. More detail in our full Canadian growing guide.
Match the pepper to the technique: thin-walled varieties blister fast in a hot pan; thick-walled ones roast or stuff beautifully; fruit-forward ones make balanced sauces and pickles. The variety's flavour profile is your shortcut — see Choosing the right pepper for a use-case guide.
