Capsicum chinense · Brazilian mild pepper
The teardrop pepper. Little, mild, sweet-fruity, and beautiful in clusters. Brazil's favorite mild chile — eaten by the bowlful.
Chile Profile · Jamie's Garden 2026 · Santa Monica Mountains · 1,170 ft elevation
| Variety | Biquinho (Little Beak) |
| Species | Capsicum chinense |
| Origin | Brazil · widely grown throughout South America |
| Type | Mild ornamental edible · teardrop shape |
| Heat Level | Very mild · 500–1,000 SHU · accessible to all |
| Days to Maturity | 70–80 days from transplant |
| Container | 10 gal preferred · 5 gal minimum |
| Garden Role | Visual interest · mild eating · prolific producer |
Biquinho means 'little beak' in Portuguese — named for the pointed tip of its teardrop-shaped fruit. It is Brazil's most beloved mild chile, eaten fresh by the handful, pickled in brine and served alongside cheese and charcuterie, and used in light sauces where the fruity sweetness of Capsicum chinense genetics comes through without the heat of its habanero relatives.
The plants are compact and covered in pendant clusters of small, jewel-like fruits — red or yellow — that hang from the branches in ornamental abundance. The flavor is distinctly Capsicum chinense: fruity, floral, with a sweetness that sets it apart from the annuum peppers elsewhere in this collection.
| Color | Red or yellow at full ripeness |
| Shape | Teardrop · pointed tip · ~1 inch |
| Walls | Thin |
| Appearance | Pendant clusters · jewel-like · ornamental |
| Heat | Very mild · 500–1,000 SHU |
| Sweetness | High · fruity sweetness |
| Flavor | Sweet · floral · tropical fruit notes · Chinense character |
| Pickled | Slightly tangy · sweet-sour · excellent |
The traditional Brazilian preparation is pickled in light brine with garlic and served alongside queijo coalho or other firm cheeses. Fresh, they are eaten whole as snacks. The fruity sweetness makes them excellent in light vinaigrette-based sauces, as a garnish for ceviche, and stuffed with soft cheese. The mild heat means everyone can eat them.
Compact and visually prominent, Biquinho adds mid-height color and structure to the garden system. The prolific fruiting provides extended harvest through summer. The mild fruits are eaten by birds without the heat-deterrent that protects the Chiltepin's wild dispersal strategy.
| Habit | Compact · ornamental · pendant fruit clusters |
| Height | 1–2 ft |
| Productivity | Very good · continuous fruiting |
| Heat Tolerance | Good |
| Container | 10 gal preferred |
| Ornamental Value | High — suitable as decorative container plant |
One of the most visually appealing plants in the chile section. Compact enough for small spaces, productive enough to provide continuous harvest. The Capsicum chinense genetics make it slightly more heat-sensitive in germination — start seeds at 80–85°F for best results. Once established it grows robustly.
Biquinho · Jamie's Garden 2026 · Santa Monica Mountains · 1,170 ft
Biquinho represents a part of the world's chile diversity that doesn't get enough attention in American gardens. Capsicum chinense — the species that includes habaneros and Scotch bonnets — is associated in most people's minds with extreme heat. Biquinho is the mild face of that genetics: the fruity, floral, accessible version of a species that has a whole other side when heat is removed from the equation.
I also want the garden to be beautiful to look at, not just productive. Biquinho hanging in red and yellow clusters from compact plants is genuinely ornamental. The garden is designed and intentional, and visual beauty is part of that intention.
And practically: not everyone who encounters this garden's output wants heat. Biquinho is the pepper for everyone — the one I can offer to any guest without qualification. That accessibility is valuable.
| Variety | Biquinho |
| Origin | Brazil |
| Species | Capsicum chinense |
| Heat | Very mild · 500–1,000 SHU |
| Days to Maturity | 70–80 days |
| Best Use | Fresh snacking · pickling · charcuterie |
| Container | 10 gal preferred |