- Heirloom
- Mild
- 88 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- 500–1,000 SHU (estimated)
- Red
Aji Dulce
Ajicito · Aji Cachucha
Heirloom mild pepper from Venezuela. Habanero aroma with barely any heat, used to build the base of a dish rather than to spice it. Ready in about 88 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 19, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Heat
- Mild 500–1,000 SHU (estimated)
- Pod
- Round <1 oz (5–12 g) (estimated)
Small wrinkled lantern-shaped pods, the habanero silhouette at half the size.
- Species
- Capsicum chinense
- Days to harvest
- 88 days (estimated) from transplant · Mid-late
- Plant height
- 2–3 ft (60–90 cm) (estimated) Medium height
- 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. 5 gal (20 L) pot (estimated)
- Difficulty
- Moderate (estimated) 3/5
- Skin
-
- Red
- Orange
- Green
Heat
Scoville heat units
Mild
Aji Dulce Scoville heat units: 500–1,000 SHU (estimated)
Warm rather than hot, around a Cubanelle, a Pepperoncini or a Shishito. Most people eat these without reaching for water.
Flavor
“Habanero aroma with barely any heat, used to build the base of a dish rather than to spice it.”
Growing calendar
88 (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
- Fresh & salads
- Snacking
- High flavor
- Rare collector
- Container star
- Hot climate
Origin
Aji Dulce is the seasoning pepper of Venezuelan and wider Caribbean cooking: a Capsicum chinense that looks and smells like a habanero and carries almost none of its heat. That combination is the whole point — it gives a sofrito the tropical aroma of a habanero without making the dish hot. Several numbered selections circulate; Tomato Growers Supply sells Aji Dulce #2 at 85 to 90 days. Every agronomic figure here is an estimate, because none of the six shops publishes specifications for it.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked dailyAll photos
Questions
How do you grow a Aji Dulce plant?
A Aji Dulce plant grows 2–3 ft (60–90 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 needs full sun.
How long does Aji Dulce take to mature?
Aji Dulce is ready in about 88 days from transplant.
How hot is Aji Dulce?
Aji Dulce sits in the mild range, about 500–1,000 Scoville heat units. Figures vary between seed sellers, so treat them as a band rather than a measurement.
Can Aji Dulce be grown in a container?
Yes — Aji Dulce grows well in a container of at least 20 L (5 gal).
Is Aji Dulce resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Aji Dulce.
