# Hidalgo Serrano

Also known as Hidalgo, Hidalgo chili, chile Hidalgo, Serrano Hidalgo, TAM Hidalgo Serrano.
Species: Capsicum annuum.

Hidalgo Serrano is a Capsicum annuum backcross from Hidalgo, Mexico. Capsi’s sourced range is 17,500 SHU (Official breeder). Flavor is bright, fruity, grassy. Used for Fresh salsas, pico de gallo, guacamole, pickling, hot sauces. Heat is a range, not a single marketing number.

## Heat sources

- 17,500 SHU · Official breeder
  Benigno Villalon (1986) HortScience
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI.21.3.540
  https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.21.3.540

- 3,000–17,000 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Fedco Seeds
  https://fedcoseeds.com/seeds/hidalgo-serrano-eco-hot-pepper-3838

- 6,000–17,000 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Sandia Seed Company
  https://sandiaseed.com/products/serrano-hidalgo-seeds

- 24,000 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Sea Spring Seeds
  https://seaspringseeds.co.uk/shop/vegetable-seeds/chilli-seeds/vegetable-type-chilli-seeds/hidalgo-serrano-chilli-seed/

- 8,000–22,000 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Lone Star Nursery
  https://lonestarnursery.com/products/pepper-hidalgo-serrano

## Heritage

Backcross

Hidalgo Serrano is a backcross involving PI 342947 and Avelar.

Credit: Benigno Villalon · 1986

Parents:
- PI 342947 (Not a named variety)
- Avelar (Not in Capsi yet)

Villalon’s 1986 HortScience release and his 1992 TAM Veracruz paper both name PI 342947 crossed with the Brazilian sweet bell Avelar, then backcrossed to PI 342947. Shop listings only repeat the Hidalgo place-name.

## Page sources

- [Villalon, B. 1986. ‘Hidalgo’ Serrano Pepper. HortScience 21(3):540–541. Cultivar release, pedigree, fruit metrics, and 17,500 SHU table value.](https://journals.ashs.org/view/journals/hortsci/21/3/article-p540.xml)
- [Texas AgriLife Extension, 2019. Identifies Fedco garden seed as TAM Hidalgo Serrano, bred by Benigno Villalon and released 1984 via Arco Seed.](https://texaslocalproduce.tamu.edu/files/2019/12/Texas-AM-Vegetable-Varieties.pdf)
- [Fedco Seeds listing: origin in Hidalgo highlands, 75 days, 3–3½ ft plants, 2½–3 × ½ in thin-walled fruit, bright fruity flavor.](https://fedcoseeds.com/seeds/hidalgo-serrano-eco-hot-pepper-3838)
- [Hudson Valley Seed Co. organic listing with germination 7–14 days, 65 days from transplant, 24 in height, 18 in spacing, and culinary notes.](https://hudsonvalleyseed.com/products/hidalgo-serrano-hot-pepper)
- [Chili Pepper Madness variety page: 6,000–17,000 SHU, heirloom serrano type, pickling and salsa uses.](https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-types/medium-hot-chili-peppers/hidalgo-chili-peppers/)
- [Sandia Seed Co. Serrano Hidalgo: 6,000–17,000 SHU, 76 days from transplant, 3 ft plants, thin-walled 2½ in fruit, Hidalgo origin.](https://www.sandiaseed.com/products/serrano-hidalgo-seeds)
- [Siskiyou Seeds: Mexican serrano type, 80–90 days, 24–36 in plants, fuzzy leaves and stems, white flowers, 6,000–20,000 SHU.](https://www.siskiyouseeds.com/products/pepper-hidalgo-chilies)
- [PlantAnswers / Texas A&M extension note on TAM Hidalgo Serrano as Villalon’s milder 6,000–17,000 SHU virus-resistant serrano.](https://www.plantanswers.com/parsons_preferred_seed.htm)
- [USDA FoodData Central FDC 169395, Peppers, serrano, raw. Generic serrano nutrition per 100 g used as the closest published proxy; no Hidalgo-specific panel exists.](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/169395/nutrients)

## FAQ
### How hot is Hidalgo Serrano?

Capsi’s sourced range is 17,500 SHU (Official breeder). 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 Hidalgo Serrano taste like?

Bright, fruity heat that lingers at the front of the mouth, with the clean grassy bite typical of a serrano. Slightly milder and fruitier than a standard supermarket serrano.

### How do I grow Hidalgo Serrano?

Hidalgo Serrano: about 75 days to maturity, subtropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.

### What can I substitute for Hidalgo Serrano?

Serrano, Jalapeño

Page: https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/hidalgo-serrano
Catalog: https://web.thecapsi.app/data