Malagueta do Valongo

Written by: Luciano Coelho

This is a huge Malagueta (C. frutescens) plant growing in a ranch on the locality of Valongo in the city of Porto Bello - SC, Brazil.

Seu Valdir (the man in the picture), is the one who takes care of it and who is responsible for it's incredible appearance! The ranch belongs to Bartho Kim, who is also the author of the pictures, where Seu Valdir works as a farm hand.  The plant is almost 2 meters tall and about 2 meters wide.

This variety is one of the most commonly commercially cultivated varieties in Brazil.  It's rather hot with a typical C. frutescens aroma.

The flowers are typical of the C. frutescens species, with a light green corolla.

The pods are usually erect, but also sometimes horizontal or semi-pendant.

Under the strong, warm South Brazilian sun, it grows nicely outdoors, in almost wild conditions.  According to Bartho. this plant is more than 4 years old.

This plant is very productive and keeps bearing pods continuously.

Photos by Bartho Kim, originally posted at https://www.pimentas.org/forum