I have been searching websites to see where I can get real Roquito Pepper Seed (Capsicum pubescens).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum_pubescens (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum_pubescens)
I thought I had found it on Suttons and the South Devon Chilli Farm websites but further investigation has revealed that the Roquito-like peppers they sell (Biquinho Pearls) are actually a variant of the group of Chinese Peppers (Capsicum chinensis) to which the Jalapenos belong and come from Brazil.
Anyone know where I can get Capsicum pubescens seed?
Available from:
https://www.pepperseeds.eu/informatie/
No recommendation nor experience of this supplier, who are in Nederlands
search using the spelling 'rocoto'
I have used https://www.semillas.de/cgi-bin/shop_en/shop.cgi?shop=%22%22&keywords=Rocoto%20pubescens&cart_id=%22%22 but they are not uk based
I personally do not like but know plenty of people who get their seeds from https://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/advanced_search_result.php?search_in_description=1&keywords=rocoto
As another name for Rocoto is Locoto, there is also Alberto's Locoto from Real Seed. Still have some in the freezer, half is just right for a dish, one makes a hot dish. These are lovely tasting, very thick walled and fruity with black seeds.
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/hotpeppers.html
Many thanks for all your replies.
It looks like its more complicated than I expected!. Looks like Roquito peppers are as broad a range of peppers as the Jalapenos.
I notice in Nickys Seeds there is an Arequipa Ricotto pepper used for stuffing. We were in Arequipa on a Peruvian tour several years ago and stayed in Arequipa. The speciality of the town were these medium sized red peppers stuffed with rice and baked in a cheese sauce. The dish was lovely but my they were hot! Must have been this one.
I wonder what the variety of Roquito pepper is used and sold in the UK over the last few years. Certainly its only mild hotness and very small.
www.semillas.de has a lot of them - all different types. Based in La Palma but write in German or English (slightly wonky).
Reasonable prices and P&P, fairly quick too. But Roquito/Rocoto/Locoto/Manzano peppers are 100% perennial (but not frost hardy) so are worth sowing anytime up to May - if you can resign yourself you to green peppers this year and a big yield of ripe ones next year. Even smaller plants from a later sowing are even easier to overwinter anyway.
Obviously if you want a third+ season you need to grow them to fruit in pots, but pots buried in a greenhouse border do well. Last year they actually preferred to be outside (being from mountain areas).
Cheers.