Selvatico Chili Seeds

Information: The Selvatico Chili got its name from the fact that it originally grew wild in the forests of the Andes ("selvatico" is Spanish for "wild, coming from the forest"). It belongs to the species Capsicum baccatum and therefore forms quite large plants on which ripen the small, flavourful and very hot red pods. They resemble the African bird pepper and the South American Chiltepin types. The chillies are suitable for drying, seasoning and pickling.

Care: Germination temperature is between 22°C and 28°C (germination period: 8-21 days); it is therefore recommended to use a greenhouse and a heating mat. The plants need fresh, well-fertilised, permeable soil, and do not tolerate waterlogging. They should be planted in a sunny, protected place with at least 6 hours of sunlight - preferably more. Put the plants outside approx. 2 to 3 weeks after the last frost. As the plants have a particularly long maturation period, it is recommended to grow them in a pot, so that you can easily bring the plant inside when the temperature falls below 12°C during the day, allowing all the fruits to ripen. To keep the plant over the winter, cut it back by 20cm after harvesting and place in a light place where it is at least 15°C.

You can find plenty of useful tips for successfully growing chili plants in our Chili Cultivation Instructions and in the Chili Diary.