Diavolicchio di Diamante

Diavolicchio di Diamante is a Calabrian Capsicum annuum landrace or local ecotype tied to Diamante on the Tyrrhenian coast of Cosenza. Local and regional sources describe it as one of the best known and most widely grown chillies of that coastal belt, and in recent years it has been deliberately promoted under the Diamante name by the Accademia del Peperoncino as a product strongly identified with the town, its food culture, and the Peperoncino Festival. Older local references note that it was previously known as cangarillo or peperoncino a sigaretta before the Diamante name was pushed more strongly in public use.

The plant is generally described as manageable rather than massive, commonly around 60.0 to 90.0 cm tall, with green lanceolate foliage. The fruits are elongated conical pods, often slightly curved and sometimes held upward, usually reaching about 7.0 to 8.0 cm long. They begin dark green and mature to an intense red. The pod type is repeatedly linked with the traditional Calabrian habit of threading the peppers into long necklaces or braids for sun drying and storage.

Its culinary identity is strongly regional. Sources describe it as suitable fresh, dried, powdered, and preserved sott’olio, and it is repeatedly associated with flavouring everyday Calabrian dishes as well as spicy salumi such as ’nduja, salsiccia, soppressata, and spianata. Local descriptions also emphasise its aroma and balanced pungency, which is why it is used not only for heat but also for colour and flavour.

A major factual conflict appears in published heat estimates. Local Italian listings commonly place it around 30000 to 50000 SHU or specifically at 40000 SHU, while some newer international retail listings push it higher, including 50000 to 100000 SHU. Across those sources, the core identity remains the same: a Diamante-linked Calabrian annuum ecotype with long conical green-to-red fruit, strong regional culinary use, and a long-standing place in the pepper culture of Calabria.