Poblano

The poblano (Capsicum annuum) is a mild chili pepper originating in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Dried, it is called ancho or chile ancho, from the Mexican Spanish name ancho ("wide") or chile ancho ("wide chile"). Stuffed fresh and roasted it is popular in chile rellenos poblanos.

While poblanos tend to have a mild flavor, occasionally and unpredictably they can have significant heat. Different peppers from the same plant have been reported to vary substantially in heat intensity. The ripened red poblano is significantly hotter and more flavorful than the less ripe, green poblano.

A closely related variety is the mulato, which is darker in color, sweeter in flavor, and softer in texture.

Growth

The bush has multiple stems and can reach 25 in (0.64 m) in height. The fruit is 3 to 6 in (7.6 to 15.2 cm) long and 2 to 3 in (5.1 to 7.6 cm) wide. An immature poblano is dark purplish green in color, but the mature fruits eventually turn a red so dark as to be nearly black.

Poblanos grow in zones 10–12 and do best with a soil pH between 7.0 and 8.5. They typically prefer full sunlight and may require additional support for the growing fruits during harvest in late summer. A poblano takes around 200 days from seed to harvest and requires soil temperatures of at least 64 °F (18 °C) to germinate.