Ají is a very common plant that is native to Colombia. In this article, I explore the popular plant that spices up our food!
The ají plant is a short tree-like plant that has many small branches stemming from it. It has plenty of green leaves, and on the ends of the branches is where the ají fruit forms. The fruit can be red or orange, and they are traditionally used to make a spicy sauce of the same name.
I was pleasantly surprised to see the ají plant during my visit to the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum) in Bogotá. Not only did I get to see a variety of golds and metals, but I got to learn about the plants in Colombia. I learned that ají is also used for ointments and plasters for things like lower back pain.
Ají is native to South and Central America. There are 25 species of it, and five of them are domesticated and used by humans. Ají is believed to have come from the Andes region of Peru and Bolivia. Colombia has an island called Isla Ají, but interestingly the ají plant does not grow there.
