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Pepper ID help

15 years ago

OK, so the birds have stolen most of the plastic plant ID tags I had in my buckets. Live and learn; I'll affix them to something next time. That said, I thought this was a mini bell pepper plant. It's just exploding with peppers. One of them stayed teeny tiny (way smaller than the rest), but ripened completely red. I plucked it off and tasted it...

WOAH! It had a bell-like taste, but it was SPICY. I mean, hotter than a Jalapeno. I'm not even sure what this is, but they still look like bells to me. Any ideas? I can't find anything about spicy bells! The seeds all came from peppermania or pepper joe, so I doubt they're some funky hybrid...

Also, any idea what this might be?

Comments (13)

  • 15 years ago

    That top picture, I just saw one of those plants last night at Lowes with peppers on it. I cannot remember the name! But the tag did say "medium heat" pepper.

    Maybe someone else will come along with the name..

    Em

  • 15 years ago

    The bottom one looks like what I buy in the store for green chiles....Big Mex? Something like that.

    This link might help...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Chile Plants.Com

  • 15 years ago

    Are both pics from the same plant? The bottom one looks like an anaheim, or NewMex or something similar. They tend to be hotter than a bell pepper, with a more pungent flavor than jalapeno, to my taste.

    Looking good, though. We're just beginning to get fruit set around here.
    Carolj

  • 15 years ago

    The top one may be Cajun Belle. It is a hot bell. Or, it could be something else, but Cajun Belle is a savory-sweet bell pepper, though probably not the only one. I'm growing Cajun Belle in my garden and the fruit on yours look identical to the fruit on mine.

    The second one does look like your standard Anaheim type, and there are many, many named varieties. If anyone can give you a probable name for your Anaheim-type variety, it will be Jay. He grows oodles of peppers. You might be able to narrow it down by looking at the Anaheim types listed by the sources from whom you ordered, but if a seed mix-up or cross occurred before they received the seed, you'll likely never know what it is.

    To help avoid losing the labels/names in the future, I have several suggestions. First, no matter what labeling system you use, make a garden 'map' showing the exact location of each plant and its name. I label my raised beds like #1, #2, etc. and then number each plant within bed #1, bed #2, etc., on the map, writing down the name beside the number assigned to that plant. At planting time, if you have two raised beds of peppers, for example, you may think you'll always remember that Bed #1 is on the north and Bed #2 is south of it. However, eight weeks later, you may find yourself standing there and asking yourself if Bed #1 is to the north or to the south, so having the beds labeled clearly on the map helps eliminate that confusion. Have MULTIPLE copies of the map and keep them separately from one another. I have one copy in a spiral notebook I carry out to the garden with me, then put a back-up copy in a 3-ring binder. That way, if I lose the notebook or if the dog tears up the notebook or the cat throws up on the notebook or whatever, I have the binder and vice versa.

    I label all peppers by using duct tape to attach a piece of mini-blind slat to the stake. I write the name of the variety on the mini-blind slat with a non-fading garden marker, and as back up, I try to remember to write it on the back of the slat too so that if the non-fading marker fades or washes away (some years it does), then the back side that is up close to the wood stake with tape at the top and bottom of the stake likely hasn't washed away or faded.

    You can buy a bundle of commercial tree tags from a greenhouse supplier and use them.

    You can use a paint pen from a craft store to write the name on the item of your choice--some people use ceramic tiles and others use rocks.

    You can buy various plastic or metal plant markers and use pencils or wax pencils to write on them. There's lots of ways to do it, but I have found that if there is a way birds, cats, and other critters can carry off the tags, they will, and sometimes wind or flooding rains move tags too. In those instances, a map helps you figure out what is what.

    Dawn

    Here is a link that might be useful: Cajun Belle

  • 15 years ago

    thanks everyone for the great input! No, these are on two plants. Dawn, if these are Cajun bells, I'll be very happy! they were sweet but spicy...my favorite kind. I'll pull a full-size ripe pepper in the next few days and give it a try again.

    The second one...I thought some sort of NuMex as well. If they stay green, how the heck do I know when to pick them? I THOUGHT this was a Queen Laurie plant, but maybe I'm wrong. I've linked a pic of the variety I THOUGHT this was, but I'm beginning to think I am dead wrong. I keep waiting for it to change color!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Peppermania Queen Laurie

  • 15 years ago

    So, for the elongated one, mystery solved. I think it's Corno Di Toro from Pepper Joe. I didn't order any Anaheims, so this makes sense. Check out the pic I found online. Looks just like it...

    {{gwi:1109799}}

    Description from his site:

    The Corno is the #1 requested sweet pepper from my customers. And that's no surprise...it is a favorite heirloom from my Paisan's in Italy and grows to a monstrous 8" and 10" size. That gives you a lot of value as the plants grow like weeds. You asked for it...you've got it!!! The world famous Corno Di Toro could also be an ornamental pepper plant with it's bright red crop.

  • 15 years ago

    I've grown one of the strains of Corno. Cooks Gardens sold seeds and everyone I know who grew from their seeds say they tended to vary in type, shape and flavor. The ones I grew last summer came straight from Italy and were sweet with no hint of spiciness or heat. I know growers who say the seeds from Cooks throws some that were that way. Sounds like you have answered your own question. I liked Giant Marconi better last year. Although Corno is a good pepper. Jay

  • 15 years ago

    So do you have a hot pepper that looks like a sweet, and a sweet that looks like a hot, or two hots?

  • 15 years ago

    Ok I just got back from Lowes and went and looked at that plant I saw. It was a Sante Fe Grand Chile. I really can't tell for sure if its the same plant or not I did take a pic but I can't figure out how to post it...

    Reporting from Owasso, Erod1


  • 15 years ago

    TO post a pic, upload it to photobucket and then after it is there, there is a "html" code underneath the pic that you copy. Then paste it here in the message box.

    I've linked my account. You can play with it and see how it works. On my account you have to mouse over a pic or click it to get the html code box to appear.

    Lisa

    Here is a link that might be useful: Lisa's Photobucket

  • 15 years ago

    I was also going to say a variety of Anaheim, but I see that you've sorted it out.

    I have two plants growing that are a real puzzle. The peppers are tiny and yellow, no more than an inch long and a triangular shape, top to bottom. I'd say they might be a type of habanero, but they have no wrinkling at all. They're pretty spicy. Also, the leaves of the plant seem to be more small and delicate than the other peppers growing alongside. I didn't buy any hot peppers or start any hot seeds, so I can't figure this one out. None of the pepper ID sites online had anything that looks like it.

    Does anyone have any ideas? Shall I post a photo and see if that helps?

    Pat

  • 15 years ago

    Pat if you post a picture it will be easier to help you. Jay

  • 15 years ago

    Thanks, Jay. Let's see if I can get this to work.

    I noticed this evening that I have two of these and what appears to be a jalapeno also. I didn't buy any hot peppers, and only started Anaheim and yellow banana seed, so there was a gremlin in there someplace.

    Pat