Capsicum baccatum aka Bird Pepper

Capsicum baccatum is a South American pepper in the nightshade family. Its common names include aji and locoto. Its range includes Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, and northern Argentina. Plants For A Future also lists Paraguay. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. This perennial reaches about 6.6 feet (2 metres) tall. Its spread can reach 3.3 feet (1 metre). Growers often raise it as an annual crop for its fruit.

The flowers have both male and female parts. Plants For A Future gives August to September as the flowering season. The fruit can reach about 5 inches (0.13 metres) long. Its heat ranges from medium to very hot. People eat the fruit raw or cooked. They also dry it and grind it into spice. Its main food use is to add heat to cooked dishes. Useful Tropical Plants reports a first harvest 120–150 days after sowing.

This pepper needs a hot site with full sun. It does not grow well in shade. Give it fertile soil that drains well but stays moist. It can grow in sandy, loamy, or clay soils. Useful Tropical Plants gives a preferred soil pH of 6–6.5. Plants For A Future reports a wider tolerated range of 4.3–8.3. The plant grows in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates. It grows best with daytime temperatures of 20–26°C. Both sources report some tolerance of brief, light frost. Yet Plants For A Future also calls it frost tender. Its listed USDA range is zones 8–11.

Warm beds and sheltered sites beside sunny walls suit cultivation. Sow seed under glass from late winter to early spring. At 20°C, seeds tend to sprout within three to four weeks. Move seedlings into separate pots with rich soil. Wait until the last expected frost before planting them outside. A cloche or frame can shelter young plants as they establish. Its main garden role is a food crop. Plants For A Future also reports that growing plants repel insects.

The fruit has recorded uses in herbal medicine. These include uses for digestive complaints and rheumatic pain. Such records do not establish safe treatment for these conditions. Sap may cause blisters on skin. The sources raise concerns about leaf toxins in the family. They do not confirm such toxins in this species. Plants For A Future also flags interactions with some antidepressants and blood-pressure drugs.