Peter Pepper

Bright and crisp with a jalapeño-like vegetal base but noticeably sweeter; roasting deepens the flavor with added fruity sweetness.

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.

Heirloom variety popularized in the United States by Texas journalist Frank X. Tolbert; studied at University of Texas and Louisiana State University; exact origins unknown but long associated with East Texas and Louisiana; selective breeding has maintained the signature shape; commercialized/named by H.W. Alfrey of Alfrey Seeds.