Del Arbol De Baja California Sur is a thin-walled pepper from the communal farms of Baja California Sur, Mexico, prized for its bright red fruit and compact, round shape. At 4 inches long, these peppers pack surprising intensity into a manageable size. This variety comes to us through Native Seeds/SEARCH's Seed-Bank Collection, preserving the agricultural heritage of ejido farming communities in one of Mexico's most distinctive growing regions. Capsicum annuum grows as a warm-season annual, thriving in heat and returning reliable harvests for gardeners willing to give it a long, sunny season.
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Moderate
9-11
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Moderate
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Bright red peppers emerge from plants descended directly from ejido farms south of Guerrero Negro, where indigenous farming traditions shaped this variety's character. The thin walls make them exceptionally suitable for drying, smoking, or quick cooking, while their small round form fits snugly into small-space gardens and containers. Coming from Native Seeds/SEARCH's Seed-Bank Collection means you're growing a variety actively preserved for both its agricultural heritage and its practical performance in desert and warm-climate gardens.
The thin walls and compact size of these peppers make them excellent candidates for drying and smoking, traditional preservation methods that concentrate their flavor and heat. Fresh peppers can be used whole in sauces, roasted for poblano-style applications, or sliced into dishes where their small size becomes an asset rather than a limitation. The brightness of the red fruit suggests strong flavor suitable for salsas, hot sauces, and chile powders.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in warm soil (70 to 80°F), keeping the seed-starting medium consistently moist. Germination typically takes 7 to 14 days. Provide bright light as soon as seedlings emerge to prevent legginess.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date once soil has warmed to at least 60°F, ideally 65 to 70°F. Harden off plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows or beds with full sun exposure.
Peppers reach mature red color typically in mid to late summer, 60 to 90 days after transplanting, depending on heat and day length. Harvest peppers when they turn fully bright red for maximum flavor development and heat. Cut peppers from the plant with a sharp knife or scissors rather than pulling, which can damage branches. Continue harvesting throughout the season to encourage ongoing fruit production; plants will keep producing until fall frost arrives.
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“Del Arbol De Baja California Sur originates from an ejido (communal farm) located south of Guerrero Negro in Baja California Sur, Mexico. These communal farming systems represent centuries of agricultural practice adapted to the Baja California peninsula's distinctive desert climate and growing conditions. Native Seeds/SEARCH, the nonprofit seed conservation organization based in Arizona, collected and preserved this variety through their Seed-Bank Collection program, recognizing both its cultural importance to Mexican farming communities and its value for gardeners in arid and semi-arid regions. By offering this seed, Native Seeds/SEARCH ensures that the agricultural knowledge embedded in this pepper remains accessible to home gardeners and continues the tradition of seed saving that sustains crop diversity.”