Where to find Chiltepins

You’ll find them growing wild in the mountainous canyon regions of Southern Arizona, and once in a while you’ll see a volunteer growing in among the landscaping in public places, usually under a palo verde or mesquite tree. Ask before you harvest if the plant is on private property.

You can also find dried chiltepins at Native Seeds/SEARCH (nativeseeds.org), or at carnicerias around the Valley.

To grow your own takes some patience, and you’ll find plenty of advice online. Some gardeners recommend scarifying the seeds by soaking in bleach or vinegar and then starting them indoors on heat mats before transplanting to a semi-shaded place in the garden. However, I’ve had success just planting them in a pot in a warm shady place and keeping them moist until they germinate and start to grow, a process that can take a month or more. McKittrick makes an even easier suggestion: “In my own tiny humble opinion, to have the seed and just cast it under legume trees and see what comes up, that would be a better way to let it grow the way it grows.”

You’ll find seeds at Native Seeds/SEARCH and Terroir Seeds (underwoodgardens.com), as well as through online outlets.