Thai chili

Bird's eye chili or Thai chili is a chili pepper variety from the species Capsicum annuum that is native to Mexico. Cultivated across Southeast Asia, it is used extensively in many Asian cuisines. It may be mistaken for a similar-looking chili derived from the species Capsicum frutescens, the cultivar siling labuyo. Capsicum frutescens fruits are generally smaller and characteristically point upwards. In the Marianas and Guam these are often called boonie peppers or Doni Sali, which can be term for regional wild (technically feral) varieties. The variation between different varieties can be significant for regional dishes or visuals, such as the Thai ornamental varieties.

The bird's eye chili plant is a perennial with small, tapering fruits, often two or three, at a node. The fruits are very pungent.

The bird's eye chili is small, but is quite hot. It measures around 50,000 – 100,000 Scoville units, which is less than a habanero, but many times hotter than the spiciest jalapeños.