Guam

Guam’s hot, humid tropical climate makes hot peppers a natural fit, and they have become one of the island’s most culturally important crops. The small but fiery donne’ peppers, often called boonie peppers, grow wild and in home gardens, where they are picked frequently and used fresh, pickled, or dried.

Two traditional types are especially valued: donne’ sali, a tiny, very pungent Capsicum frutescens harvested from the wild, and donne’ ti’au, a longer Capsicum annuum commonly grown in backyards. These peppers anchor Chamorro cuisine, bringing sharp heat to finadene (soy–vinegar–chile sauce), marinades, grilled meats, and everyday rice dishes.

Extension trials on Guam show that multiple commercial Capsicum annuum varieties also perform well in local soils, confirming hot pepper as a high-value crop that can be grown nearly year-round with good management.