The bishop's crown pepper is a spicy little chili pepper distinctively shaped like a bishop's crown, hence the name. It brings respectable heat and is great for cooking.
SCOVILLE HEAT UNITS: 5,000-30,000 SHU
Capsicum Baccatum
This chili pepper is a member of the Capsicum Baccatum species, which includes the Ají pepper. It has an interesting shape resembling a bishop's crown, hence its name, and can be very spicy, with a fruity flavor. It is red when mature, and measures about 1 inch long and 2-3 inches wide.
It can be used fresh in salsas or salads, and can be dried or pickled as well.
How Hot is the Bishop's Crown Pepper?
The bishop's crown measures in with a wide range of heat from 5,000 to 30,000 Scoville Heat Units on the Scoville Scale. Compare this to a typical jalapeno pepper, which averages 5,000 SHU and you'll find that the bishop's crown can be either equally hot or up to 6 times hotter. That is quite a wide range.
At its hottest, it would be more comparable to a medium-level serrano pepper in heat.
What Does a Bishop's Crown Pepper Taste Like?
The flavor of this pepper is both spicy and fruity when fully ripened. When green, they are more vegetal in flavor, though as they fully mature and ripen from green to red, the sweeter, fruitier flavor comes through. Try them in salsas or hot sauces, or dehydrating them for making spicy chili flakes or powders.
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Deirdre says
We've been growing these for a few years now. We have had plants overwinter outside but they are so easy to grow and produce so prolifically the first year that we just start new ones every year. They are the last to ripen and are still on the plant into December. We get so many that we ended up drying them and made chili powder. Some we smoked first with alder wood and made smoked chili powder and flakes. Turned out excellent. I read that these peppers are also used to make paprika.
Mike Hultquist says
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
Dal says
I have one plant in it's second year of production - in a tunnel house. Can start of quite mild -even on same fruit - and then 'zing!"- lips are a burning! So it's a chilli you can't turn your back on 🙂
Chris says
The fruity flavor really comes through. I love these peppers. I overwinter the plant indoors up North.
Najmah says
hi everyone.
these were very easy to grow, I just the threw seeds into my garden and about 8 -10 trees grew. I've used them green or red. mine aren't strong at all.
I'm in the process of pickling some.
the shape is really cute.
4D says
mine get hotter every season
Mike H. says
Awesome, isn't it?
Michelle says
Lovely article but I was hoping you'd mention something about harvesting... can they be harvested green & will they ripen off the vine or do they need to turn red on the plant? I've got hundreds full size but still green & don't want them to rot now that it's getting cooler but I've tasted a few & they really don't have much flavor.. I'd love them to get red but not sure what to do now with them all...
Mike Hultquist says
Michelle, I hope to update this post soon, but yes, they are best picked when ripened to red in color. They CAN be harvested green, though will not reach their full flavor potential until ripened. See my post on How to Ripen Unripe Peppers: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/how-to-ripen-unripe-peppers/
Kort says
These are fun to grow peppers. They have some heat but not too much, and their flavor is good. And who can't love that unique shape?!?
Bubice says
These BISHOP’S CROWN PEPPERS is very hot if you are not prepare for very hot do not eat them.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes, some can have a very good level of heat. Please be prepared.
Deb says
Just bought one of these plants & was wondering how to pickle these....harvest seeds...or how to prep for cooking.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Deb, you can treat these peppers like any other pepper, so check out these sections of the site for further information: Harvesting Chili Peppers -- Chili Pepper Recipes -- How to Pickle Chili Peppers. I hope this helps.
Jaishree gandhi says
I got them from my farmer friend now I am trying to make chilli sauce.