The Inca Red Drop is a compact Capsicum baccatum pepper originating from Peru, known for its distinctive tear-drop shaped pods that ripen to a vibrant red. With a fruity, sweet flavor and moderate heat between 10,000 and 30,000 Scoville units, it excels in both culinary applications and as an ornamental plant. Highly productive and easy to grow in gardens or containers.
The Inca Red Drop pepper, scientifically known as Capsicum baccatum, hails from the Andean region of Peru as an open-pollinated heirloom variety. This pepper produces heavy yields of small, water droplet-shaped fruits measuring approximately 1 to 2 inches in length and 0.75 to 1 inch in width, featuring a small hook or nipple at the tip and medium to thick walls that offer a crunchy texture. The pods ripen from green or yellowish-green through orange to a bright, vibrant red, making the plant both productive and visually striking in the garden. Flavor-wise, it delivers a sweet and fruity profile typical of Peruvian ajis, with subtle aromatic and mildly smoky notes that provide an excellent contrast to its moderate heat. The Scoville range is 10,000 to 30,000 SHU, positioning it hotter than a standard jalapeño yet approachable enough that the flavor remains prominent. Culinary uses include fresh in salsas, salads, and ceviches, pickled for tangy crunch, or in cooked sauces and everyday dishes as a spicier red jalapeño substitute. The plants are compact and bushy at 24 to 36 inches tall with white flowers bearing greenish-yellow markings, full sun requirements, and excellent suitability for containers or small spaces. It is valued for its dual ornamental and culinary appeal among home gardeners.
No photos of Inca Red Drop here yet. Got one? Share it with us.
An open-pollinated heirloom variety from Peru, part of the Andean Aji group of baccatum peppers. It is prized by gardeners for its prolific production, attractive drop-shaped fruits, and balanced fruity flavor combined with usable heat.
Promote a product tied to Inca Red Drop? This slot is open.
Reach out →Fruity and sweet with notes typical of other Peruvian peppers, accented by mild smokiness that complements the moderate heat without overpowering the flavor.
Huge shout-out to the breeders, growers, researchers, and seed savers linked below — their independent work is what lets us fact-check our own. Go visit them.
These references are used to verify what we publish — not as the source of the content itself. Seed catalogs, breeder pages, research papers, and cultivar databases let us cross-check every fact before it lands here. Open any card to read the original or dig deeper.
