Describing the Brazilian starfish pepper as uniquely shaped may be doing it a disservice in the looks department. This is one beautiful chili with a shape much like a sea star. Its a lovely quirkiness sort of an unexpected, but well-appreciated twist to the typical rounded chili and, because of that, it works very well as an ornamental pepper. But unlike many ornamentals that sacrifice nuanced taste for looks, the Brazilian starfish is simply delicious too. They are sweet, almost fruity, with a bold, but eatable level of heat (10,000 to 30,000 Scoville heat units.) Packing looks and flavor makes this chili pepper well sought after by spicy foodies and gardeners alike.
Scoville heat units (SHU): 10,000 30,000 SHU
Median heat: 20,000 SHU
Origin: Peru (cultivated now in Brazil)
Capsicum species: Baccatum
Jalapeño reference scale: Near equal to 12 times hotter
Use: Culinary, Ornamental
Size: 1 to 2 inches long, squat
Flavor: Sweet, Fruity
