Ají Cerezo

Ají Cerezo is a traditional Peruvian chilli pepper grown mainly on the northern coast of Peru, particularly in the Lambayeque region and surrounding areas such as Chiclayo. It is recognised in the Slow Food Foundation’s Ark of Taste catalogue as a culturally significant regional food product.

The fruit is typically described as small, round, and cherry-like in shape, which aligns with the name “cerezo” (Spanish for cherry). The plant is noted for producing upright-growing fruits that point upwards on the plant, a morphological trait specifically mentioned in regional descriptions.

Ají Cerezo is cultivated in hot, dry coastal climates and performs well in sandy soils with good organic matter. Traditional planting is reported to begin around December, with harvest occurring in April and May.

In regional gastronomy, the pepper is used fresh in sauces and as a seasoning ingredient in dishes such as tortilla de raya, arroz con pato, chinguirito, and other Lambayeque specialities. It is described as aromatic and very hot, though no formal Scoville Heat Unit measurement has been published in accessible sources.

Botanical classification is inconsistent across available references. Some sources identify Ají Cerezo as Capsicum annuum, while other informal descriptions associate it more generally with Peruvian ají types, which are often Capsicum baccatum. Due to this inconsistency and the absence of formal taxonomic documentation specific to this variety, species assignment should be treated cautiously.

There is no published agronomic data covering standardised fruit size, plant height, yield metrics, or laboratory heat testing. Most available information comes from cultural listings and regional descriptions rather than scientific literature.

Ají Cerezo appears primarily in local markets within northern Peru and is not widely distributed internationally, reinforcing its status as a regional landrace or traditional variety rather than a commercially standardised cultivar.