Hot Pepper Research and Development

[nctomatoman]

I've been playing around with selections of a few mystery (obviously hybrid) hot peppers for quite a few years - for the most part they are smaller fruited, quite beautiful (so very ornamental) - with lots of diversity of leaf color, size, and fruit color and size. Most are very hot!

I've not named any of them....they are all works in progress, but I'd love for interested gardeners to try some of them out and let me know what you get. What is easy about them is that they can be grown out to fruiting in very small containers (I was using half gallon containers and grew out about 50 of them last year).

Below are some pics and identifying numbers for selections you may be interested in trying...I will send one or two types to anyone who would like to grow out a few - all I ask is for a report and some fresh seeds. You can PM me with your mailing address....and report back in this thread.

The pics below show the peppers in mid July, mostly unripe - in just about all cases, the fruit ripen to red. I may add more over the next few days...they are quite a diverse bunch!

This is Hot Pepper 1: HotPepper1_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper1_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper1August25_08small.jpg

Pepper 1 had very dark purple cotyledon leaves as a baby seedling.

Hot Pepper 5: HotPepper5_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper5_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper5August25_08small.jpg

Pepper 5 had greenish purple cotyledon leaves as a baby, not nearly as dark purple as some others I grew -but foliage darkened considerably to purple black as the plant matured.

Hot Pepper 6: HotPepper6_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper6_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper6August25_08small.jpg

Pepper 6 came from the same source seed as that above, but had much less purple/more green in the cot. leaves, and as a mature plant.

Hot Pepper 7: HotPepper7_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper7_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper7August25_08small.jpg

Peppers 7 and 8 came from the same source seed. The young seedlings of each had green cot. leaves. I must have seem some slight variation as they grew, since I planted two plants - and they had very different looking fruit!

Hot Pepper 8: HotPepper8_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper8_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper8August25_08small.jpg

See comments on Pepper 7 above for comments on leaf color of young seedlings.

Hot Pepper 9: HotPepper9_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper9_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper9August25_08small.jpg

Peppers 9, 10 and 11 all came from the same source seed. They looked quite different upon emergence - nearly green, slightly purple and deep purple cot. leaves, which is why I planted out three plants. Pepper 9 had the darkest young leaf color, 10 was greenish purple, and 11 was the greenest.

Hot Pepper 10: HotPepper10_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper10_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper10August25_08small.jpg

See comments for Pepper 9, above.

Hot Pepper 11: HotPepper11_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper11_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper11August25_08small.jpg

See comments for pepper 9, above.

Hot Pepper 13a: HotPepper13a_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper13a_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper13aAugust25_08small.jpg

Peppers 13a and 14 came from the same source seed. The cot. leaves of the young seedlings were either slightly or very purple.

Hot Pepper 14: HotPepper14_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper14_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper14August25_08small.jpg

See comments for pepper 13a above.

Hot Pepper 22: HotPepper22_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper22_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper22August25_08small.jpg

Young seedlings had very green leaves, no purple.

Hot Pepper 29: HotPepper29_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper29_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: turned red, but I don't have a good pic of the ripe fruit

The young seedling that led to pepper 29 had slightly purplish green cot. leaves.

Hot Pepper 37: HotPepper37_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper37_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper37August25_08small.jpg

Both peppers 37 and 38 came from the same source seed. Foliage was either slightly or very purple - I planted out one of each.

Hot Pepper 38: HotPepper38_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper38_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper38August25_08small.jpg

See comments on pepper 37 above.

Hot Pepper 43: HotPepper43_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper43_2July22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper43August25_08small.jpg

Young seedling had green cot. leaves, no purple.

Hot Pepper 47: HotPepper47_1July22_08.JPG close up: HotPepper47_12uly22_08small.jpg Ripe: HotPepper47August25_08small.jpg

Young seedling had very purple cot. leaves.

_____________________________________________

Posting my germination results here. Eventually it will have germination percent and breakdown of leaf colors. Germination and Cotyledon colors (very premature) below is at 9 day mark - just took the Saran Wrap off the tray, let's see how the colors evolve in a week or so. Using just three categories - P is mostly purple, G is mostly green, mix is about equal

Pepper 1 germinated in 7 days 100% germ; 4 green, 4 purplish, 1 purple, one ? cot colors
Pepper 5 germinated in 5 days 100%; 4 purplish, 5 green, 2 ? cots
Pepper 6 germinated in 6 days 90%; 7 green, 2 ? cots
Pepper 7 germinated in 5 days 100%; 1 purplish, 9 green cots
Pepper 8 germinated in 6 days 100%; 1 purplish, 9 green cots
Pepper 9 germinated in 7 days 100%; 5 purple, 6 green, 1 ? cot
Pepper 10 germinated in 5 days 90%; 9 green cot
Pepper 11 germinated in 5 days 100%; 1 purplish, 9 green cots
Pepper 13a germinated in 6 days 100%; 2 greenish, 11 purple cots
Pepper 14 germinated in 6 days 100%; 1 green, 1 purple, 8 purplish cots
Pepper 22 germinated in 6 days 100%; 15 green cots
Pepper 29 germinated in 6 days 100%; 11 green cots
Pepper 37 germinated in 7 days 90%; 3 purplish, 4 green, 2 ? cots
Pepper 38 germinated in 6 days 100%; 3 purplish, 6 purple, 1 ? cots
Pepper 43 germinated in 7 days 90%; 1 purplish, 6 green cots
Pepper 47 germinated in 7 days 100%; 11 purple cots

Germination on all is excellent - if anyone is having issues, it is your conditions, or damage in the mail.

For those varieties that come out as a mix, if you can fit it, grow a few of each type of leaf color you get.

__________________________________________________ __________

March 5 update: I got my hot peps into the sun today - they've also spent some time under light, and the cots are coloring. Below are three pictures that are labeled with the pepper number I distributed. They are not in order, and there are other peppers that I didn't share (had too many, and I wanted to share only the most interesting). I also tabulated the cot color ratios above, or at least what they looked like today, on March 5.

[AK110682]

Wow I absolutely love your Hot Pepper 5.... so pretty! I hate any spicy foods, so there is no way i would ever attempt to taste it LOL! But for ornamental purposes.... it's beautiful. I will let you know if I find somewhere that I could grow a couple of plants.
-Amber

[gssgarden]

I agree, #5 looks interesting. Along with #10.
Craig, did you use them for anything last year? Or just nibble on them to see if they were hot.

Greg

[nctomatoman]

I should post pictures of their ripe appearance next to each...note to Craig, do so when you get some time. I can only imagine what these plants would do in a larger container! You can also sneak them into flower beds.....Which is what we do, interplanting them with petunias, impatiens, etc.

Pretty much all of them dry well - at the end of the season, we froze a few bags of them (all mixed together, all colors, for use...now!) - but also let trays of ripe, red fruit dry, then I got out the food processor and made red pepper flakes from them, which we also have a few bags of sitting around.

[nctomatoman]

OK - there are now unripe, close up of unripe, and ripe fruit pics of each - I also added a few that I overlooked at first.

Please, request away! None of these are probably 100% stable...so there is mystery in each of them. That's been half of the fun!

[geeboss]

How about crossing 13a with bhut jolokia ..... can ya feel the heat this summer....just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes...... ;-)

George

[gssgarden]

You've got a PM

[nctomatoman]

Here is what I am going to send whom - this post will track all seed distributions (so I will edit it if more are interested).

Dukerdawg: Hot pepper 6 (vial 08-56), 13a (vial 08-64) - seeds sent Jan 13.

Kat: Hot pepper 7 (vial 08-57), 10 (vial 08-60), 14 (vial 08-65), 22 (vial 08-73) - seeds sent Jan 13.

gssgarden: Hot peppers 5 (vial 08-55) and 10 (vial 08-60) - sent Jan 13.

Jeepcats: Hot pepper 10 (vial 08-60) and 38 (vial 08-90) sent Jan 13.

Fusion: Hot pepper 5 (vial 08-55), 6 (vial 08-56), 9 (vial 08-59), 10 (vial 08-60), 14 (vial 08-65), 22 (vial 08-73), 38 (08-90) all sent Jan. 13.

Suze: pepper plant 38, vial 08-90 - seed sent last week.

Bitwise Gamgee: Pepper plant 13 a, vial 08-64; pepper 22, vial 08-73, sent Jan 16.

Penny: Pepper Plant 9, vial 08-59, plant 10, vial 08-60, plant 14, vial 08-65

Barbee: Pepper plant #1, vial 08-51; plant 8, vial 08-58; plant 47, vial 08-100

Rutabaga: Pepper plants 1 (vial 08-51), plant 14 (vial 08-65), plant 38 (vial 08-90)

Svalli: Peppers 5, vial 08-55, 6 vial 08-56, and 29, vial 08-81

JerryL: Peppers 5 vial 08-55, 10, vial 08-60, and 38, vial 08-90

Randy: Peppers 9, vial 08-59, 14 vial 08-65, 37 vial 08-89, and 43, vial 08-96

ddsack: Peppers 5, vial 08-55, 1, vial 08-51, and 38, vial 08-90

sirtanon (welcome back, Eric!) - Peppers 1 (vial 08-51), pepper 5 (08-55), pepper 13a (vial 08-64)

Tanya: Peppers 9, 22, and 29

Dummy1: Peppers 7, 9, 14, and 22

Iowa: Peppers 5, 14, 22, 29, 43

As of today (Feb 7), at least one person has every variety I am offering...and I am going to grow them all out myself - we will have fun comparing results!

Note to everyone in on this - these are not at all absolutely stable! You may see variation in leaf color at the seedling stage. Plant as few or as many as you want - if you have questions, I can advise on the leaf color you are looking for to get what I have in the pics (maybe, anyway!).

[newatthiskat]

Do you have any info on heat on some of these? I am a whimp! I think it is more fun sometimes if you don't know what you are going to get. I have several people that I know that can handle heat and I will get them to help with flavor descriptions (not me unless I get a mild)Also looking forward to using new dehydrator and making chili powder. This is very neat!
Kat

[nctomatoman]

Hey Kat - your guess is as good as mine! I am kind of wimpy as well - we cook with them, but my UK friend who was chomping on them last summer didn't stay around long enough (or have enough courage) to taste through them all so that I could make notes! Just proceed with caution....

[newatthiskat]

OK now I am going to sound dumb. I get how the vials are named 08. but what does the second number stand for? I am wanting to learn everything I can so I don't mess up too bad!
Kat

[nctomatoman]

Hey Kat - just my own reference number. Each year when I saved seeds, I set up an Excel spreadsheet and cross reference each variety I save with a number - so for all of my tomatoes, I have 08-1, 08-2, etc - meaning seed saved in 2008, vial number 1, 2, .... - last year I made up to 08-165! I do that with all of my peppers (in my vial boxes they are T08-X for tomatoes, P08-X for peppers, etc). I've been doing this since 1996....when you have so many saved seeds, you need shortcuts so that you don't end up having to write the full name for everything on the vial.

And yes, I do back up my Excel files frequently! If I lose them, I lose the ability to identify ANY of my seeds!

So when you report back to me, you can use either the pepper number in the thread or the vial number.

[Dukerdawg]

Craig, thanks for the explanation. My seeds arrived yesterday. Thank-you! Kat, I was going to ask the same question. I'm planning on starting the seeds today. I didn't get involved in the dwarf project and I was wondering what to do with peppers this year since my deep freeze is stuffed with peppers from last year and will be for quite a while. If all goes as planned I can move the peppers into the GH by late Feb or early March. Let the growing season begin~!

Duane

[Penny]

Those are great pictures and to be able to use them as a reference, very cool!!

[nctomatoman]

And that represents only the most interesting of those I grew last year...there are 25-30 others, but that would be overwhelming! These will provide the best opportunity to get something really worthwhile to name and share.