Dry spicy Mexican Chiltepin Wholesale

Chiltepín (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) — Known as "the mother of all chiles," the chiltepín is the wild ancestor from which most cultivated chiles (jalapeño, habanero, poblano, etc.) descend. Its name comes from the Náhuatl "chiltecpin" ("flea chile"), referencing its tiny size (5–8 mm, round, pea-like). It grows wild across a specific belt of northern Mexico — primarily Sonora, along with Sinaloa and Chihuahua — as well as parts of southern Arizona and Texas.

Wild Harvest, Not Farmed — Unlike most export chiles, chiltepín is almost entirely wild-harvested rather than cultivated in rows; its low yield and unpredictable growth make large-scale farming impractical. Harvesting is done by hand, plant by plant, typically September through November after the summer rains, by families and communities (including Yaqui and Mayo harvesters) who have gathered it for generations in the Sierra of Sonora. A smaller number of farmers have begun small-scale cultivation projects in recent years, but wild stands remain the primary source.

Flavor & Heat — Bright red when ripe, chiltepín delivers an intense, quick-hitting heat (50,000–100,000 Scoville units) with a distinctive smoky, citrusy, earthy flavor — hotter than a jalapeño but sharper and shorter-lived than a habanero's burn.

Product Grades — Available dried whole, crushed/flaked, or ground into powder; premium/export-grade chiltepín is judged by deep uniform red color, minimal stem/leaf debris, low moisture, and intact pod structure. Because of its wild-harvest scarcity, chiltepín commands premium prices compared to farmed chiles and is often marketed as a specialty or gourmet product rather than a bulk commodity.

Please inquire about product availability, prices and the destination country.