Hatch Lumbre

Hatch Lumbre is a Capsicum annuum cultivar developed in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico as a hotter variation of traditional Hatch green chile types. The name “Lumbre” comes from the Spanish word for fire, referring to its increased heat compared with standard mild Hatch varieties.

The cultivar was developed by Hatch Valley growers Jimmy and Faron Lytle over approximately nine years of selection before being released in 2011. It was bred specifically to increase heat while maintaining the flavour profile associated with Hatch chiles.

Pods are elongated and slightly conical, typically about 10.0 to 17.0 cm long and approximately 2.0 to 4.0 cm wide. Fruit mature from green to bright red. Reported size varies slightly between sources, likely due to growing conditions and seed variation.

Heat is commonly reported between 9000 and 10000 SHU. A working value of 10000 SHU reflects the upper commonly cited figure. This places it hotter than many mild Hatch varieties but still well below super-hot types.

Flavour is described as grassy, slightly sweet and earthy, particularly when roasted. It is used fresh, roasted, dried or ground in dishes associated with New Mexican cuisine. As part of the Hatch chile group, it is tied culturally to the Hatch Valley agricultural region, where chiles carry strong geographic identity. Variation in reported size and heat exists between sources, but no conflicting identity information was found regarding the cultivar itself.