- Heirloom
- Hot
- 90 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- 30,000–50,000 SHU
- Orange
Aji Amarillo
Aji Escabeche · Kellu Uchu
Heirloom hot pepper from Peru. Fruity heat with a berry-like note behind it, the flavour Peruvian pastes are built on rather than raw pungency. Ready in about 90 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 19, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Heat
- Hot 30,000–50,000 SHU
- Pod
- Elongated ~1 oz (15–30 g) (estimated)
Long tapering pods around 100 to 150 mm, ripening from green through to deep golden orange, with thick flesh.
- Species
- Capsicum baccatum
- Days to harvest
- 90 days (estimated) from transplant · Mid-late
- Plant height
- 3–5 ft (90–150 cm) (estimated) Tall
- Spacing
- 18 × 24 in (46 × 61 cm) (estimated)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Open ground · Container
- Container growing
- Balcony friendly min. 6 gal (25 L) pot (estimated)
- Difficulty
- Moderate (estimated) 3/5
- Skin
-
- Orange
- Yellow
Heat
Scoville heat units
Hot
Aji Amarillo Scoville heat units: 30,000–50,000 SHU
Properly hot, the Tabasco, Cayenne Purple and Aji Amarillo band, with Chiltepin at the top of it. Used in small amounts, seeds removed if you want less.
Flavor
“Fruity heat with a berry-like note behind it, the flavour Peruvian pastes are built on rather than raw pungency.”
Growing calendar
90 (estimated) days from transplant Mid-late
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 8–10 (estimated) weeks before your last frost date. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code →
Disease resistance
No documented disease resistances — protect this variety with good airflow and crop rotation.
Uses & tags
- Sauce & paste
- Drying
- High flavor
- Hot climate
- Rare collector
- Container star
Origin
Aji Amarillo is a Peruvian Capsicum baccatum, grown along the coast and through the valleys. The name means yellow chile, though the ripe fruit is closer to deep orange; it is picked at that stage, seeded and blended into the pastes that carry dishes like papa a la huancaina and aji de gallina. Sandia Seed Company lists it at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville heat units and about 85 days from transplant, describing the flavour as fruity rather than simply hot. The plant is tall and late, closer in habit to its baccatum relatives than to a bell pepper.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked dailyLinks may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Oct 16, 2026.
All photos
Questions
How do you grow a Aji Amarillo plant?
A Aji Amarillo plant grows 3–5 ft (90–150 cm) tall (estimated). Space plants 18 in (46 cm) apart in rows 24 in (61 cm) apart (estimated). Start seed indoors 8–10 weeks before your last frost (estimated); it germinates in 7–21 days. It needs full sun.
How long does Aji Amarillo take to mature?
Aji Amarillo is ready in about 90 days from transplant.
How hot is Aji Amarillo?
Aji Amarillo sits in the hot range, about 30,000–50,000 Scoville heat units. Figures vary between seed sellers, so treat them as a band rather than a measurement.
Can Aji Amarillo be grown in a container?
Yes — Aji Amarillo grows well in a container of at least 25 L (6 gal).
Is Aji Amarillo resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Aji Amarillo.
