Jalapeños are commonly picked and consumed while still green.
Green jalapeños are immature fruits of Capsicum annuum, harvested before they complete the ripening process. They are the familiar fresh pepper used in salsa, nachos, sandwiches, and many Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes. Their color is not a separate species; it reflects their stage of maturity.
If left on the plant, jalapeños usually ripen to red, although orange and yellow fruits can also occur. Ripe peppers generally become sweeter and can be hotter, while green jalapeños are prized for their crisp texture and sharper vegetal flavor. A ripe, smoked jalapeño is called a chipotle, which is a common source of confusion when comparing fresh green peppers with dried red ones.
The name jalapeño means “from Xalapa,” a city in Veracruz, Mexico. Despite the name, modern commercial production is not limited to the area around Xalapa. Jalapeños are also widely grown in Mexico and the United States, and pickling or canning preserves the green form for year-round use.