CPI Teaching and Demonstration Garden
Visiting The Garden
To reach the Chile Pepper Institute Teaching and Demonstration Garden, take the University Ave. exit from either Interstate (I-10 or I-25). Follow University Ave. west towards the town of Mesilla until you reach a set of railroad tracks. Cross the tracks and continue on University Ave. The Garden is approximately three blocks from the railroad tracks, on the left side of the road, as you are traveling west.
Reasearch at the garden
The Chile Pepper Institute (CPI) Teaching and Demonstration Garden has been an integral part of the CPI's teaching resources for over twelve years. School children, local groups, university groups, and individuals come every year to visit and tour our garden. Located in Las Cruces, New Mexico, the Garden not only has over 150 different varieties of chile from all of the main species of Capsicum: C. annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense, and C. frutescens, but it also shows many of the different diseases, disorders, pests, and problems encountered by chile growers. The genus Capsicum includes all peppers, from the mildest bell to the hottest habanero. The Garden is intended to show a few of the different pod shapes, sizes, and colors; there are many different types of chiles, and we hope you enjoy the selection we offer.
Working hand-in-hand with the New Mexico State University (NMSU) Chile Breeding and Genetics Program, the Institute seeks to educate about all of the different varieties that have been developed and released at NMSU. Every year, the garden showcases all of the varieties developed at NMSU, including "NuMex Big Jim," "NuMex Joe E. Parker," and "NuMex Pinata." The selection of other varieties grown in the garden varies from year to year, but always showcases endless varieties.
The garden is transplanted in early May, and visitors may start enjoying the garden in early June. It is open through the fall months, into November. The best time of the year to see the garden is late July through late September.
Garden hours
- Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
- Saturday - Sunday: 9:00am - 3:00pm
Location - Tours
The Garden is located at the Fabian Garcia Horticulture Farm off of University Ave. Individuals and visitors are welcome to visit the garden during regular hours. Self-guided tours are free and garden map booklets are available in a mailbox at the front of the garden. For a guided tour, please call ahead and make reservations with Danise Coon. We ask for a $25.00 donation for 1-2 people and $50.00 donation for 3-6 people for guided tours. If you have a group larger than six, please contact the Institute for donation pricing. Guided tours highlight facts about the history, production, uses, and nutritional value of chiles. Guided tours are provided for free to school classes, FFA groups, 4-H groups, or other educational groups. Guided tours usually last about 45 minutes and are best scheduled in the morning hours during the summer months.