It is a member within the C. pubescens complex, a group of closely related Capsicum species.

[2] Capsicum cardenasii, like most members of the Pubescens complex, is a perennial plant that develops woody stems.

[1] After fertilization C. cardenasii develops small round red berries, sometimes referred to as chiltepins.

The fruit are pungent, near 30 000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units), making them quite spicy.

[citation needed] Capsicum cardenasii is self-incompatible, and exhibits unilateral incompatibility with species outside the pubescens clade.