# Ají Dulce

Also known as ajicito, aji cachucha, ají gustoso, quechucha, seasoning pepper.
Species: Capsicum chinense.

Ají Dulce is a Capsicum chinense landrace from Caribbean and Latin America, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic. Capsi’s sourced range is 35–80 SHU (Lab-verified). Flavor is sweet, fruity, smoky, peppery. Used for sofrito, stews, sauces, rice dishes, salsas. Heat is a range, not a single marketing number.
About 1/433 the typical heat of a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU).

## Heat sources

- 35–80 SHU · Lab-verified
  Wessel-Beaver, L. (2024) Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico 108(1):49-59
  DOI: 10.46429/jaupr.v108i1.21412
  https://doi.org/10.46429/jaupr.v108i1.21412

- 500–1,000 SHU · Vendor Claim
  rareseeds.com
  https://www.rareseeds.com/pepper-sweet-aji-cachucha

- 0–1,000 SHU · Unverified
  PepperScale
  https://pepperscale.com/aji-dulce/

- 0–1,000 SHU · Unverified
  (2019) Chili Pepper Madness
  https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-types/sweet-mild-chili-peppers/aji-dulce/

## Heritage

Landrace

Ají Dulce is a traditional landrace.

University of Puerto Rico trials and a USDA Forest Service review treat Ají Dulce as farmer-saved Caribbean Capsicum chinense landraces with no named parents. Heirloom catalogs from Venezuela and the islands sell the same traditional type, not a planned hybrid.

## Page sources

- [PepperScale: Aji Dulce Heat, Flavor, Uses](https://pepperscale.com/aji-dulce/)
- [Wikipedia: Ají dulce](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aj%C3%AD_dulce)
- [Chili Pepper Madness: Aji Dulce Mild Caribbean Peppers](https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-types/sweet-mild-chili-peppers/aji-dulce/)
- [Specialty Produce: Aji Dulce Chile Peppers Information and Facts](https://specialtyproduce.com/produce/Aji_Dulce_Chile_Peppers_16334.php)
- [WorldCrops: Ají dulce botanical, history and production info from UMass research](https://worldcrops.org/crops/aji-dulce.html)

## FAQ
### How hot is Ají Dulce?

Capsi’s sourced range is 35–80 SHU (Lab-verified). Capsi uses a sourced range and a trust tier, not a single marketing number. How we verify heat: https://web.thecapsi.app/learn/heat-and-capsaicin/how-we-measure-heat

### What does Ají Dulce taste like?

Sweet and fruity with smoky notes and a subtle black pepper undertone, reminiscent of habanero aroma but lacking significant heat.

### How do I grow Ají Dulce?

Ají Dulce: about 90 days to maturity, tropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.

### What can I substitute for Ají Dulce?

bell pepper, Cubanelle pepper, poblano pepper, sweet peppers

Page: https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/aji-dulce
Catalog: https://web.thecapsi.app/data