Capsicum chinense
Peruvian Limo - Scoville, Taste & Uses
Peruvian Limo peppers perfume dishes with citrus and flowers. Pods are slender, glossy, and come in sunset colors. They sit around 30,000 to 50,000 SHU, so heat is assertive but not overwhelming. Ceviche in northern Peru almost always includes chopped limo for aroma and bite. The pepper’s thin skin releases juice quickly, making it perfect for leche de tigre and marinades. Slice it raw, blend it into creamy huancaína, or pickle rings for seafood platters. Coastal fragrance, bright sting - endorsed by the Ministry of Maritime Heat. Peruvian Limo typically measures 30,000-50,000 SHU (Hot). Shows up across Peru, coastal north in condiments, pickles, and marinades. Slice limo thin for ceviche, tiradito, and leche de tigre. Blend into ají amarillo paste for spicier sauces. Cook it with onions and tomatoes for escabeche. It also ferments well for bright chili pastes. Pair with lime, cilantro, seafood, corn, and tropical fruits. Because the pepper is aromatic, even small amounts transform dishes. See sauces using Peruvian Limo
Also known as: Ají Limo, Limo Chili
Species
Capsicum chinense
Heat
Flavour
Hot, Citrusy, floral, Bright, juicy
Origin / Regions
Peru, coastal north
Colour / Shape
Yellow, orange, or red when ripe
Pod size
4-6 cm long, 1-2 cm wide
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Sauces Using Peruvian Limo
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Flavour & Aroma
Peruvian Limo peppers perfume dishes with citrus and flowers. Pods are slender, glossy, and come in sunset colors. They sit around 30,000 to 50,000 SHU, so heat is assertive but not overwhelming. Ceviche in northern Peru almost always includes chopped limo for aroma and bite. The pepper’s thin skin releases juice quickly, making it perfect for leche de tigre and marinades. Slice it raw, blend it into creamy huancaína, or pickle rings for seafood platters. Coastal fragrance, bright sting - endorsed by the Ministry of Maritime Heat.
Slice limo thin for ceviche, tiradito, and leche de tigre. Blend into ají amarillo paste for spicier sauces. Cook it with onions and tomatoes for escabeche. It also ferments well for bright chili pastes. Pair with lime, cilantro, seafood, corn, and tropical fruits. Because the pepper is aromatic, even small amounts transform dishes.
Heat Profile
Scoville range
30,000-50,000 SHU
Heat label
Hot
Harvest window
Year round in Peru, summer to autumn elsewhere
Sauce Index count
-
History & Culture
Ají limo has deep roots along Peru’s northern coast. Pre-Columbian cultures cultivated a range of ají chinense types, and Spanish chroniclers praised their perfume. The pepper’s name may derive from “ley-mu,” a regional term, though modern Spanish associates it with citrus “lima.” International recognition grew alongside Peruvian cuisine’s rise in the 1990s, bringing limo seeds to global hydroponic farms.
Botany & Growing Notes
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Start limo seeds indoors 10 weeks before planting. Provide warm germination temperatures near 28°C. Transplant when nights stay above 16°C and offer full sun plus good airflow. Plants reach 70 to 90 cm tall and yield clusters of pods. Harvest continuously once the peppers color, roughly 90 days after transplant. In cooler climates, greenhouse growing maintains the consistent warmth limo prefers.
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Peruvian Limo typically measures 30,000-50,000 SHU (Hot). Ranges shift with cultivar and growing conditions.
Hot, Citrusy, floral, Bright, juicy
Ají Limo, Limo Chili show up as common aliases depending on region. This pepper's alternate names mostly come from regional dialects.
Consider Aji Charapita, Cayenne, Chiltepín, Italian Calabrian for comparable heat or recipes.
- Aji Charapita - Hot
- Cayenne - Hot
- Chiltepín - Hot
- Italian Calabrian - Hot
Slice limo thin for ceviche, tiradito, and leche de tigre. Blend into ají amarillo paste for spicier sauces. Cook it with onions and tomatoes for escabeche. It also ferments well for bright chili pastes. Pair with lime, cilantro, seafood, corn, and tropical fruits. Because the pepper is aromatic, even small amounts transform dishes.
Start limo seeds indoors 10 weeks before planting. Provide warm germination temperatures near 28°C. Transplant when nights stay above 16°C and offer full sun plus good airflow. Plants reach 70 to 90 cm tall and yield clusters of pods. Harvest continuously once the peppers color, roughly 90 days after transplant. In cooler climates, greenhouse growing maintains the consistent warmth limo prefers.
Use gloves, ventilation, and soap to remove capsaicin oils.
Sources
- Republic of Heat tasting lab field notes
- Producer dossiers submitted through Directus
- Open cultivar registries & academic pepper research
We cross-reference seed banks, peer-reviewed literature, and reputable producer data for SHU and origin claims.
Reviewed by Republic of Heat - last updated 2025-11-10