Scoville Units: Between 500 to 2,500

The name Anaheim refers to a mild variety of the New Mexican chili pepper, which is a member of the Capsicum genus. New Mexican cultivars were developed in the state by Dr. Fabian Garcia about 100 years ago. They got the name “Anaheim” when a farmer named Emilio Ortega brought these seeds to the Anaheim, California, area in the early 1900s. They are also called California chili peppers.

The chile “heat” of Anaheim peppers typically ranges from 500 to 2,500 on the Scoville scale. Many varieties of New Mexico chiles reach 4,500 to 5,000 Scoville units.