Chile de árbol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chile de árbol |
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Fresh mature chile de árbol peppers
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| Species | Capsicum annuum |
| Cultivar | 'De Árbol' |
| Origin | Mexico |
| Heat |  Hot |
| Scoville scale | 15,000 to 30,000 SHU |
The Chile de árbol is a small but mighty chili pepper from Mexico. Its name means "tree chili" in Spanish. People also call it "bird's beak chile" or "rat's tail chile."
These peppers are usually about 5 to 7.5 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) long. They are also about 0.65 to 1 centimeter (0.25 to 0.4 inches) wide.
How Spicy Is It?
The Chile de árbol is quite spicy! Its heat is measured using the Scoville scale. This pepper scores between 15,000 and 30,000 Scoville units. To give you an idea, a bell pepper has 0 Scoville units, while a jalapeño is usually between 2,500 and 8,000 units. So, the Chile de árbol is much hotter than a jalapeño!
What Does It Look Like?
Chile de árbol peppers start out green when they are young. As they grow and get ripe, they turn a bright, beautiful red color. This vibrant red color is one of their special features.
How Is It Used?
You can find Chile de árbol peppers in different forms:
- Fresh: When they are just picked.
- Dried: After they have been dried, they keep their bright red color.
- Powdered: Ground into a fine powder.
Dried Chile de árbol peppers are often used in cooking to add a spicy kick to dishes. Because they keep their pretty red color even when dried, they are also sometimes used to decorate things like wreaths.
See also
In Spanish: Chile de árbol para niños
