In the fresh form, the pod is known as chilaca . The Plant Pasillas are pod types of the annuum species. The plant has an intermediate number of stems, an erect habit, and grows 2 to 3 feet high or more. The primary branches begin over 5 inches from the lowest stem portion so the pods will not touch the ground. The flowers have white corollas with no spots.
Immature fruits are dark green, maturing to dark brown.
The growing period is 90 to 100 days, and the yield is 20 pods or more to the plant. Agriculture It is likely that the pasilla is the immediate predecessor of the New Mexican type, and it has adapted particularly well to the temperate regions of Mexico. About 7,500 acres of pasillas are cultivated in Mexico, primarily in Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Zacatecas, and Guanajuato, with the annual yield amounting to approximately 3,500 tons of dried pods. There is no commercial U.S. production, but the pasilla does well in the home garden, and the pods should be allowed to dry on the plant. The pasilla is part of the legend of the origin of mole sauces, which also contain anchos.