Rocoto is a hot pepper, Capsicum pubescens, grown for its pungent fruit and known for its hairy leaves and black seeds. It needs warm conditions and a long growing season, and does best in a sunny spot with good drainage.
Family
Solanaceae (Nightshade family)
Grows as
Shrub, Climber
Light
Full sun
Water
Water regularly during the growing season, letting the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings, and avoid waterlogging.
Soil
Well-drained, fertile potting mix or garden loam.
Temperature
18–30 °C; protect below 10 °C
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Not known to be toxic
Native range
Peru to Bolivia
Climate
seasonally dry tropical
About
Capsicum pubescens is a plant of the genus Capsicum (pepper). The species name, pubescens, refers to the hairy leaves of this pepper. The hairiness of the leaves, along with the black seeds, make Capsicum pubescens distinguishable from other Capsicum species. Capsicum pubescens has pungent yellow, orange, red, green or brown fruits.
This species is found primarily in Central and South America, and is known only in cultivation. It is consumed fresh, as a paste, dried, or ground. Of all the domesticated species in the genus Capsicum, it is the least widespread and most genetically distinct.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Capsicum pubescens by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.