Pasilla Bajio pepper plant with ripe fruit

How to Grow Pasilla Bajio Pepper From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

Pasilla Bajio is a classic Mexican heirloom chile grown for its long, slender pods that ripen from glossy dark green to a wrinkled chocolate brown. Fresh, it is called the chilaca; dried, it becomes the beloved pasilla, meaning little raisin, the smoky, sweet backbone of authentic mole and red sauces. Heat is mild, around 1,000 to 2,500 Scoville units, so its rich, raisin-like flavor comes through without much burn. It is a must-grow for anyone who cooks real Mexican food.

Ready to grow your own? Shop Mild Pepper Pasilla Bajio Seeds from Organo Republic.

This is the quick guide to Pasilla Bajio. For the full step-by-step on starting seeds, transplanting, feeding, and troubleshooting peppers, see our complete guide to growing peppers from seed.

Quick start

Start seeds indoors about 8 weeks before your last frost, kept warm at 75 to 85F. Harden the plants off, then transplant them out 18 to 24 inches apart once nights stay above 55F. Give full sun, steady deep water, and a stake or cage, since the tall plants get top-heavy with long pods. Pick pods dark green from about 75 to 80 days, or leave them to ripen to chocolate brown around 90 to 100 days for drying into pasilla.

Best tip

Pasilla Bajio is a longer-season chile, so its biggest challenge is simply time. Start seeds indoors early and do not rush plants outside until nights hold above 55F, because a slow start can leave you short of a full crop of ripe brown pods. In cooler or short-season areas like the northern tier, choose your warmest, sunniest spot and consider a black plastic mulch to keep the roots warm; in hot regions the plants set beautifully as long as they get steady, deep water.

At a glance

Botanical nameCapsicum annuum

Plant typeWarm-season annual

USDA zones3 to 12 (grown as an annual)

SunFull sun (6 to 8+ hours)

Days to maturity75 to 80 days green; 90 to 100 red/brown for drying

Height30 to 42 inches

Spacing18 to 24 inches apart

WaterRegular and deep; keep evenly moist

Uses

Pasilla Bajio is the backbone of authentic Mexican cooking. Use the fresh chilaca pods, roasted and peeled, for sauces and stews, or let them ripen dark and dry them into pasilla chiles for the classic base of moles, adobos, and rich red and black sauces. The flavor is deep, smoky, and raisin-sweet with only mild heat, so it adds body and complexity rather than fire.

Frequently asked questions

How long does Pasilla Bajio take to mature?

Expect about 75 to 80 days from transplant to pick pods dark green, and roughly 90 to 100 days for them to ripen fully to the deep chocolate brown used for drying. Because it is a longer-season chile, start seeds indoors early to give it a full warm summer.

How hot is a Pasilla Bajio pepper?

It is a mild chile, roughly 1,000 to 2,500 Scoville heat units, milder than a jalapeno. The flavor is more about rich, raisin-like, smoky depth than burn, which is why it is prized in Mexican moles and sauces rather than for straight heat.

Why is it called pasilla when dried?

The fresh pod is known as chilaca; once it ripens dark and is dried it becomes the pasilla, meaning little raisin, named for its dark wrinkled skin and sweet, dried-fruit aroma. One plant gives you both the fresh chile and the classic dried pasilla.

How big does the plant get and does it need support?

Plants grow tall and productive, often 2.5 to 3.5 feet, and the long slender pods weigh the branches down. A stake or tomato cage keeps them upright and off the soil, especially in wind or once the plant is loaded with fruit.

Ready to grow your own? Heirloom Pasilla Bajio seeds give you long, slender chiles that ripen from dark green to chocolate brown for authentic homemade mole and dried pasilla. For the full step-by-step, see our complete pepper growing guide linked at the top of this page.

Mild Pepper Pasilla Bajio SeedsHeirloom, non-GMOHeirloom Pasilla Bajio — mild chiles that dry into flavorful pasillas for sauces.

Price$4.99

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Want more peppers? These value packs pair Pasilla Bajio with other varieties:

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By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.