"Most authorities believe the chiltepin was the original wild chile the plant from which all others have evolved. It's also the only wild chile native to the United States. Originating in southern Brazil or Bolivia, chiltepins migrated up through Central America and Mexico into the American Southwest. Dissemination is attributed to the wild birds that find these scarlet berries an irresistible snack. Because the seeds survive passage through the birds' digestive tracts, chiltepins are often found growing along fences and under trees where birds nest and roost. That's why they're commonly known as "bird peppers" to English speakers of the Southwest."
-Austin Chronicle
We find them on the West edge of the forest in the hills.
Just found some on a walk within the shrubs of a highly landscaped office park.
I think this will fill the jar.
So, pretty much anywhere a bird goes, you can find them. Four out of five shrubs we've found at or within half a mile of the house are under a tree or partially shaded. They are all in areas of heavy mulch.
Three months into the growing season. We're chili rich!
