Collector Pepper
Grow Rocoto Red for thick, juicy hot peppers to stuff, roast or blend into a fresh sauce. Red-ripe pods and distinctive dark seeds set it apart from thin-walled drying chilies.
CASA VERDE · HEAT PROFILE
Hot
- Sweet
- Mild
- Medium
- Hot — this variety
- Super hot
Scoville range awaiting confirmation.
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.
No numeric marker is shown without a sufficiently clear range. For bundles, the highlighted categories refer to the different varieties.
A Scoville range has not been listed for this variety.
Shop all pepper seeds in Canada
- Packet
- 10+ seeds per packet
- Maturity
- Harvest red-ripe pods; allow a long growing season
- Plant habit
- Branching perennial when protected from frost; allow space and support
- Origin
- Peru
FROM GARDEN TO KITCHEN
Thick flesh. Bold heat. Three kitchen ideas.
Rocoto Red brings juicy walls to stuffed dishes, roasting and fresh sauces. Its rounded shape is familiar; its heat deserves a careful first taste.
01 / STUFF & BAKE
A small pepper with a generous filling.
Try a rocoto relleno-inspired dish with cooked minced beef, onion and melted cheese. Rocoto brings substantial heat, so plan the filling and portions accordingly.
02 / ROAST
Thick flesh, browned edges.
Roast halved peppers until tender and lightly browned. Chop a little into a warm vegetable dish or blend the roasted flesh into a sauce.
03 / MAKE FRESH SAUCE
A spoonful of bright red heat.
Blend a small amount of fresh rocoto into a pepper sauce or salsa. Taste carefully and add gradually to potatoes, tacos or grilled vegetables.
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.
From seed to kitchen
Rocoto Red
Grow Rocoto Red for thick, juicy hot peppers to stuff, roast or blend into a fresh sauce. Red-ripe pods and distinctive dark seeds set it apart from thin-walled drying chilies.
At a glance
Species
Capsicum pubescens
Heat
Hot; heat varies
Ripe colour
Red
Packet
10+ seeds
Why grow it?
Its substantial walls hold a filling and retain moisture during cooking. Use small amounts in a sauce until you know the heat of your harvest.
In the kitchen
- Stuff and bake for a rocoto relleno-style dish.
- Roast before blending into a pepper sauce.
- Finely chop a small quantity into fresh salsa.
Growing and harvesting
Start indoors and harden plants off before outdoor planting. Give the branching plant space and support. Protect it from frost; plants kept for another season need frost-free shelter.
Let the pods turn fully red. Allow a long growing season; first-year harvest timing is variable.
Explore the seed collection
Pepper seeds CanadaWhen to start pepper seedsPepper seed germination: temperature, moisture and troubleshootingFrequently asked questions
Are the dark seeds normal?
Yes. Dark seeds are characteristic of Capsicum pubescens.
Can it stay outdoors through a Canadian winter?
Do not treat it as frost-hardy. Overwintering requires frost-free shelter and suitable care.
Is it a mild stuffing pepper?
No. Its thick flesh does not mean low heat. Taste cautiously before serving.
Rocoto is associated with Andean food traditions. This describes the variety’s background, not the production location of this seed lot.
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.
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