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Lemon drop pepper

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lemon drop chilli, ají limón
GenusCapsicum
SpeciesCapsicum baccatum
Cultivar'Lemon Drop'
Heat Hot
Scoville scale30,000-50,000[1] SHU

The Lemon Drop pepper or the Ají Limón[2] is a hot, citrus-like, lemon-flavored pepper which is a popular seasoning pepper in Peru, where it is known as qillu uchu. A member of the C. baccatum species, the lemon drop is a cone pepper that is around 60–80 mm (2.4–3.1 in) long and 12 mm (0.47 in) wide with some crinkling.[3] It is commonly mistaken for Ají Limo[4][5] which belongs to Capsicum chinense, ripens to red, and has differently coloured flowers.

Description

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Blossom and buds

Plants of the lemon drop variety are typical representatives of the species Capsicum baccatum. In the first year they can reach a height of 1.5 to 2 m (4.9 to 6.6 ft). The plant grows upright and is highly branched. The leaves are dark green and relatively narrow, the petals are whitish - green and carry yellow - green spots on the base. Lemon drop is a high yielding chilli plant, in a year one plant can produce over 100 fruits. The time between fertilization of flowers and ripening of the fruit is about 80 days.[6]

Varieties

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The lemon drop has been confused with ají limo, a different species (C. chinense)[7] has the following variants:[8]

  • Ají mochero: Characterized by its citrus scent and bright yellow color.[9]
  • Ají miscucho.
  • Ají paringo.
  • Ají bola.

References

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  1. ^ "AJÍ LIMO (LEMON DROP)". Cayenne Diane.
  2. ^ Weaver, William Woys. "How to Grow Aji Limo". Mother Earth News.
  3. ^ "Aji Lemon Drop". chileman.org.
  4. ^ "Aji Limo and the imposter Lemon Drop". Hungry Onion. 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  5. ^ "Aji Limo Chile Peppers". specialtyproduce.com. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  6. ^ Dave DeWitt and Paul W. Bosland (2009). The Complete Pepper Book: A Gardener's Guide to Choosing, Growing, Preserving, and Cooking. Timber Press. ISBN 978-0881929201.
  7. ^ {{cite article|title=Introducing Peruvian Aji Chiles, Chile Pepper Institute, Volume VI, Number 3, Fall 1997.
  8. ^ Investigaciones en Capsicum nativos (PDF) (in Spanish). Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. 2012. ISBN 978-612-4147-08-1. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Fruit and seed morphometry of "ají mochero" Capsicum chinense Jacq". AGROSAVIA. 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
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