Description
Aji Pineapple Pepper Seeds
A Hot Pepper With a Tropical Side.
Pineapple. Citrus. Pepper. Heat.
Aji Pineapple isn’t named for its shape—it’s named for its remarkable fruity flavor.
These brilliant yellow peppers deliver the aromatic, citrus-forward character that makes Capsicum baccatum peppers so prized, followed by a satisfying burst of heat.
Use them fresh. Ferment them. Make a golden hot sauce. Turn them into salsa. Dry them into flakes.
If you’re going to grow a hot pepper, grow one that brings more than heat.
Why Grow Aji Pineapple?
🍍 Bright, tropical flavor.
Aji Pineapple is prized for a fruity, citrusy character often compared to pineapple and other tropical fruit.
🔥 Heat you can actually use.
Hot enough to make itself known without entering the extreme territory of superhot peppers.
💛 Brilliant yellow fruit.
Slender peppers ripen to an intense golden yellow that looks spectacular against dark green foliage.
🧺 Heavy production.
Capsicum baccatum plants can become large, vigorous, and extremely productive, providing plenty of peppers for fresh eating and preserving.
🌎 Part of the incredible Aji tradition.
Capsicum baccatum peppers have a long history of cultivation in South America and are famous for combining heat with unusually complex fruit-forward flavors.
How Hot Is Aji Pineapple?
Aji Pineapple is generally considered a medium-hot pepper, commonly reported around 20,000–30,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), although actual heat can vary with genetics and growing conditions.
For perspective:
Jalapeño: ~2,500–8,000 SHU
Aji Pineapple: ~20,000–30,000 SHU
Cayenne: ~30,000–50,000 SHU
Habanero: ~100,000–350,000 SHU
That makes Aji Pineapple hot enough for serious hot sauce while still letting its fruity flavor shine through.
Why Does It Taste Fruity?
Not all peppers taste alike.
Aji Pineapple belongs to Capsicum baccatum, rather than the Capsicum annuum species that includes familiar peppers like jalapeños and bells.
Baccatum peppers are particularly prized by pepper enthusiasts for their bright, aromatic, fruit-forward flavors.
The heat comes primarily from capsaicinoids, while a complex mixture of volatile aromatic compounds contributes to the fruit’s distinctive aroma and flavor.
That’s why biting into an Aji can be such a different experience from simply eating a hotter jalapeño.
Growing Information
Sun: Full sun — 6–8+ hours daily
Soil: Rich, fertile, well-drained soil
Planting Depth: Approximately ¼ inch
Spacing: Approximately 24–36 inches apart
Germination: Approximately 7–21 days in warm conditions
Water: Water consistently while allowing the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings
Harvest: Pick once fruits develop their mature brilliant yellow color for the fullest fruity flavor
Life Cycle: Tender perennial generally grown as an annual in colder climates
Growing Tip
Give Aji Pineapple room to grow.
Capsicum baccatum plants can become considerably larger and more branching than compact pepper varieties.
Start seeds indoors approximately 8–10 weeks before your last frost, provide warm soil for germination, and don’t transplant outside until nights have reliably warmed.
A cage or stake can help support heavily loaded branches later in the season.
Make a Golden Hot Sauce
Aji Pineapple practically begs to become hot sauce.
Combine ripe yellow peppers with ingredients that complement their tropical character:
🍍 Pineapple
🥭 Mango
🍑 Peach
🍋 Citrus
🧄 Garlic
🧅 Onion
Ferment them or make a fresh cooked sauce and you’ll get something that’s not just hot—
it’s genuinely flavorful.
Perfect For
- Golden hot sauce
- Fresh salsa
- Fermentation
- Pepper flakes
- Pepper powder
- Tropical salsa
- Marinades
- Tacos
- Stir-fries
- Pickling
- Hot pepper collections
Did You Know?
🌎 Aji peppers are deeply connected to South American cuisine. Capsicum baccatum has been cultivated in South America for thousands of years.
🔥 The seeds aren’t actually the hottest part. Most capsaicinoids are produced in the pale internal placental tissue surrounding the seeds.
🍍 “Pineapple” describes the flavor, not a pineapple cross. It’s still 100% pepper—the name refers to its distinctive tropical character.
💛 Color tells you something about ripeness. Allowing the peppers to reach their mature yellow color lets their mature sweetness, aroma, and flavor fully develop.
🌱 Pepper plants are perennial in the right climate. Protect them from frost and Capsicum plants can live and produce beyond a single growing season.
Grow Flavor With Fire.
Aji Pineapple gives you everything that’s fun about growing unusual peppers.
Brilliant yellow fruit.
Tropical aroma.
Citrusy sweetness.
A satisfying kick.
And enough personality to turn a homemade hot sauce into something you can’t buy at the supermarket.
Plant Aji Pineapple—and grow a pepper that’s tropical, beautiful, and just hot enough to keep things interesting.