# New Mexico No. 9

Also known as NuMex No. 9, No. 9, Number 9, New Mexico 9.
Species: Capsicum annuum.

New Mexico No. 9 is a Capsicum annuum cultivar from Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States. Capsi’s sourced range is 1,000–1,500 SHU (Official breeder; typical 1,500). Flavor is earthy, slightly sweet, smoky when roasted. Used for Roast and peel mature-green pods for green chile sauce, stews, enchiladas, cheeseburgers, breakfast burritos. Heat is a range, not a single marketing number.
About 1/17 the typical heat of a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU).

## Heat sources

- 1,000–1,500 SHU · Official breeder
  Danise Coon, Stephanie Walker, Dennis Lozada, Ivette Guzman, and Paul W. Bosland NMSU Circular 706
  https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_circulars/CR706/index.html

- 1,000–1,500 SHU · Official breeder
  Danise Coon and Paul W. Bosland (2018) Research Report 792, New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station
  https://pubs.nmsu.edu/research/horticulture/RR792/index.html

- 500–1,000 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Sandia Seed Company
  https://www.sandiaseed.com/products/anaheim

## Heritage

We don't have a documented family for this pepper yet.

## Page sources

- [NMSU Circular 706, The Chile Cultivars of New Mexico State University 1913–2022 — official cultivar table (1,500 SHU; 1913 release), breeding history, García quotes, and heat estimate of 1,000–1,500 SHU.](https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_circulars/CR706/)
- [NMSU Research Report 792, The Chile Cultivars of New Mexico State University Released from 1913 to 2016 — lists New Mexico No. 9 at 1,000–1,500 SHU and recounts parentage and canning-pod goals.](https://pubs.nmsu.edu/research/horticulture/RR792/)
- [NMSU Guide H-230, Growing Chiles in New Mexico — industry context for No. 9 as the 1913 foundation cultivar; green harvest ~120 days and red ~165 days from planting.](https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_h/H230/)
- [NMSU Guide H-240, Growing Chile Peppers in New Mexico Gardens — New Mexican-type pod size (4–10 in), soil pH 7.0–8.5, spacing, and garden culture used for growing_info.](https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_h/H240/)
- [Chile Pepper Institute biography of Fabián García stating that all New Mexican-type chiles, including Anaheim, trace to New Mexico No. 9.](https://cpi.nmsu.edu/chile-info/fabian-garcia.html)
- [Historical Society of New Mexico essay (Fiery Foods) on García’s 1913 release, citing Bulletin 124 and the shoulderless canning-pod objective.](https://www.fieryfoodscentral.com/2016/07/18/new-mexicos-chile-kings-fabian-garcia-and-roy-nakayam/)
- [New Mexico Chile Association cultivar page placing No. 9 as the commercial foundation for later New Mexican varieties.](https://newmexicochile.org/discover-nm-chile/)
- [New Mexico Historic Sites / Fort Selden press release on the 2025 heritage planting of original No. 9 from Chile Pepper Institute seed.](https://media.newmexicoculture.org/press_releases.php/1790/historic-no-9-chile-?action=detail&releaseID=1790)

## FAQ
### How hot is New Mexico No. 9?

Capsi’s sourced range is 1,000–1,500 SHU (Official breeder; typical 1,500). 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 New Mexico No. 9 taste like?

Roasted green pods taste earthy and lightly sweet with a gentle, lingering warmth rather than a sharp bite—the classic New Mexican green-chile profile García selected so the fruit would flavor a dish without overwhelming it. Fully ripe red fruit keeps that earthiness and adds a deeper, slightly sweeter dried-chile character used for red sauce and powder.

### How do I grow New Mexico No. 9?

New Mexico No. 9: about 120 days to maturity, semi-arid climate, full sun.

### What can I substitute for New Mexico No. 9?

Capsi does not have that recorded yet.

Page: https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/new-mexico-no-9
Catalog: https://web.thecapsi.app/data