'Siling Labuyo' | |
---|---|
Genus | Capsicum |
Species | Capsicum frutescens |
Cultivar | 'Siling Labuyo' |
Heat | Very hot |
Scoville scale | 80,000 - 100,000 SHU |
Siling labuyo is a small chili pepper cultivar that developed in the Philippines after the Columbian Exchange. It belongs to the species Capsicum frutescens and is characterized by triangular fruits that grow pointing upwards.[1] The fruits and leaves are used in traditional Philippine cuisine. The fruit is pungent, ranking at 80,000 to 100,000 heat units in the Scoville Scale.[2]
The cultivar name is Tagalog, and literally translates to "wild chili."[1] It is also known simply as labuyo or labuyo chili.[3] Thai bird's eye chili are commonly confused with Labuyo in the Philippines, though they are cultivars of two different species, and much larger fruit.[4] Siling labuyo is one of two common kinds of local chili found in the Philippines, the other being siling haba (a Capsicum annuum cultivar).[5]
Siling labuyo is generally accepted as the world's smallest hot pepper, as the fruit often measures a mere 0.20 in (0.51 cm) in length by 0.10 in (0.25 cm) in width.[6]
It is listed in the Ark of Taste international catalog of endangered heritage foods of the Philippines by the Slow Food movement.[7]