African Bird Pepper 90 mhu

African bird pepper still thrives in the wild in Africa, but is commercially cultivated in Zimbabwe, Uganda and Malawi, as well as in India, Mexico and China. A single plant may continue to produce for up to three years, yielding nearly a pound of fresh fruit during each growing season. The fruit pods are harvested by hand in summer when they reach a bright red color, and are then dried in the shade and finally ground into spice.

Like other varieties of chili pepper, african bird pepper contains a high degree of capsaicin, a compound that stimulates nerve endings on contact.