Bolivian Rainbow
Bolivian Rainbow is a compact ornamental chile from Bolivia, grown for small upright pods that show purple, yellow, orange, and red on one plant at the same time. The fruit is edible and the bush stays small enough for containers and sunny windowsills.
Growing
~85 days to maturity
Fruit size
2–3 cm
Flavor & Use
Crisp and peppery, close to a small bell pepper, with grassy and tangy notes and a little sweetness when fully ripe.
Culinary
About
Pods are conical and upright, about 2 to 3 cm long and 1 cm wide, with thin walls and smooth, shiny skin. They start purple and ripen through yellow and orange to red. Stems and leaves are purple-tinged and the flowers are purple. Flavor is simple: grassy and a little tangy, with a hint of sweetness when fully red, closer to a hot bell than to a complex chile. Heat is hot and sharp. Use them fresh in salsa or as a garnish, or dry and pickle them. Plants reach about 45 to 90 cm, take roughly 75 to 90 days from transplant, and crop well in pots given full sun and even moisture.
Backstory
Seed catalogs sell Bolivian Rainbow as an open-pollinated ornamental from Bolivia. No breeder name travels with the seed. Gardeners took it up for the multi-colored pods on a compact plant.
Appearance
Growing
Heritage
ExploreNothing reputable documents a pedigree for this pepper.
Sources
FAQ
- How hot is Bolivian Rainbow?
- Capsi’s sourced range is 10,000–62,000 SHU (Vendor Claim). 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 Bolivian Rainbow taste like?
- Crisp and peppery, close to a small bell pepper, with grassy and tangy notes and a little sweetness when fully ripe.
- How do I grow Bolivian Rainbow?
- Bolivian Rainbow: about 85 days to maturity, subtropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
- What can I substitute for Bolivian Rainbow?
- Serrano, Cayenne