Peter Pepper

The Peter Pepper is a rare heirloom Capsicum annuum known for its distinctive phallic shape that resembles male anatomy. It offers medium-hot heat between 10,000-23,000 Scoville units with a bright, crisp flavor similar to a slightly sweeter jalapeño. Grown primarily in the southern United States, it serves as both a novelty garden curiosity and a versatile culinary pepper.

The Peter Pepper, also nicknamed the Penis Pepper or Chili Willie, is an heirloom variety of Capsicum annuum celebrated for its unusual shape rather than its flavor alone. Pods measure 3 to 6 inches long and 1 to 1.5 inches wide, featuring a wrinkled skin, conical form with a bulbous rounded tip and cleft that gives the unmistakable phallic appearance. They ripen from green to vibrant red, orange, or yellow depending on the variant. Heat levels range from 10,000 to 23,000 SHU, placing it firmly in the hot category and comparable to a serrano or hotter jalapeño. Flavor is bright and crisp with vegetal notes and a hint of sweetness that intensifies when roasted or dried. It excels in salsas, hot sauces, chili powders, pickling, and Cajun or Mexican dishes where it can substitute for jalapeños. As a productive but somewhat less prolific plant than smaller-podded varieties, it thrives in full sun with moderate watering in rich soil. Its exact origin remains unknown despite extensive study by universities in Texas and Louisiana, though it has been selectively bred and popularized through heirloom seed circles since at least the mid-20th century.