Collection: Marshall Islands

In the Marshall Islands, hot peppers grow in small home and community gardens, often in raised beds or containers to cope with poor coral soils. Residents cultivate bird’s eye chili, long green chilies similar to cayenne, and occasional habanero or Scotch bonnet introduced regionally.

Chilies season fish dishes, including raw fish in coconut milk, where chopped bird’s eye chilies add heat along with lime. Simple relishes of chili, onion, and vinegar or lime accompany breadfruit, taro, and rice.

There is no formal chili industry or Marshallese landrace documented; most peppers are generic bird’s eye–type or imported annuum cultivars from Asia or the US. Imported dried chilies and bottled sauces further supplement local production, especially in larger population centers like Majuro.