Capsicum annuum Seeds | Anaheim Chile Pepper
LATIN NAME: Capsicum annuum
COMMON NAME: Anaheim Chile Pepper
Plant Profile
Anaheim is the mild green chile of the American south-west, a long, tapered pod 15-20 cm, starting dark green and ripening to red. Plants reach 60-90 cm, with broad leaves and a heavy set of fruit that hangs rather than stands upright.
The heat is low by chile standards, between 500 and 2,500 Scoville units, which puts it in the range of a mild pepper with a distinct green, grassy flavour. The skin is thin and blisters easily, which is exactly what makes it good for roasting.
The variety was developed in California from chile grown by Mexican farmers, and it is closely related to the Hatch and New Mexico types. The name refers to a place and a tradition rather than to a single fixed genotype, and strains differ in heat and wall thickness.
Science & Biotechnology
Capsaicin and its relatives are produced in the placenta of the fruit, the white tissue that holds the seeds, and they bind to the TRPV1 receptor, which is why they register as heat rather than as a taste. The Scoville scale is a dilution assay, and modern measurements use high-performance liquid chromatography to give precise parts per million.
Anaheim sits low on that scale because breeding has selected against pungency. The same pathway that makes capsaicin also produces compounds that contribute aroma, so the mildest chiles are not simply diluted hot ones: they have a different volatile profile, greener and more vegetal.
Roasting works because the skin is thin and loosely attached. Heat blisters the epidermis, steam forms underneath and the skin slips off, leaving the flesh intact. That is a physical process, not a chemical one, and it is why the same method fails on thick-skinned bell peppers.
Uses & Benefits
Anaheim is the roasting chile of the south-west: blistered, peeled, seeded and used in chiles rellenos, in green chile stew, on burgers and in cornbread. It also dries well, and the red ripe form is strung into ristras for decoration and for cooking.
The mild heat makes it a good choice for a household that wants chile flavour without fire, and it is the pepper to use when a recipe calls for green chile without specifying which. In the garden the plant is productive and early, and the fruit is heavy enough to need a stake in a windy site.
Growing from Seed
Sow at 24-28°C, 5 mm deep, eight to ten weeks before planting out. Germination is slow, two to three weeks, and bottom heat makes a real difference. Pot on once and grow on at 18-20°C in good light.
Plant out at 45 cm apart once the soil is above 15°C, in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Water steadily and mulch; irregular watering causes blossom end rot. Feed lightly, since too much nitrogen gives leaf at the expense of fruit. Pick green for roasting, or leave the pods to turn red for drying and for seed. Heat levels vary between plants, so taste before committing a whole batch to a dish.
Our Take
The pepper to grow if you want green chile flavour without a mouthful of fire, and the easiest roaster in the catalogue.
Related Reading
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