plant I can´t ID these plants, can you?

Nicolas_bsas · Jun 22, 2016

Hi guys!
I´m Nicolás, from Buenos Aires, and I am trying to identify some peppers I´m growing. But with one of them I´m really clueless, so I though about asking to the specialists... which would be you.
This is the thing. I started recently to cook with peppers, which is something I really enjoy. And I like to grow my own plants, specially the ones that I use most, or the ones whose fruit is not so easy to get, which would be the peppers. Since I´ve been recently cooking some thai food, and I had no idea what peppers to grow, I tried to get some thai hot peppers. But that proved hard to achieve, and winter was coming. So I tried to grow something else before the winter. And here´s where it all starts.

First of all, I tried to reproduce some peppers that I got in the chinese neighbourhood (pictures 1&2, and if you wonder what does the label say, it´s just "hot peppers"... yeah, thanks for the information). And I sucessfully did it (pictures 3 and 4, no fruit or flowers yet, and just the big plant, the others are supposed to be thai... yes, I managed to get those in the end). but I´m not sure what kind of peppers they are. Maybe jalapeños? Not the big Jumbo ones, but the little ones. I´ve seen very similar ones in a supermarket, this time with the jalapeños label on top of the box, but they were green and red, which makes sense because they´re used in both stages. But the ones I bought come only in red, so maybe it´s another variety.

But that´s just one of the two problems. Here comes the other one.
I tried to get a second variety, and found a woman who was selling some Chi-Chien plants, already grown a couple of weeks. I went for them, but she had to leave the city, so her husband gave me the plants. Turned out he had not a slightest idea of what was she selling, but gave me some plants. More than I needed, and more than one variety. I have them all together now in one big pot (picture 5).
There are five plants, and at least two different varieties. Let´s call plant n.1 to the bigger, already having a green pepper (pictures 6,7&8). First and obvious question: what is that??? It´s obviously not a chi-chien, I know they look completely different: they grow upside and are as big as the pinky finger, while this one grows downside and is longer. Plus, the chinese ones turn from green to orange to red, and this one is turning some darker colour, as you can see in the bottom of the only fruit growing (picture 6). Unluckily the plant has no flowers right now: after the first flower turned into pepper, the second one fell off (picture 8; btw, is that a problem or some sort of bad sign?). Second question: plants 2, 3, and 5 look all the same thing, but are the same thing as the n.1? (pictures 9,10&11). The leafs are similar, but the n.1 looks not so leafy, despite it´s the bigger one. That makes me think they´re different. But of course, no fruit and no flower makes things really complicated. And I don´t think I´ll be seeing them ´till spring (beginning here in september), because it´s really cold now (around 10º-50F during the day, dropping to half during nights).
And no, I´m not gonna ask about the n.4, because I think I know what that is: a "ají putaparió", which would be something like a "motherf*cking chilli". They call it so because that´s what one is supossed to say after eating them because of the heat (it´s not THAT heat, in comparison, but we are not used to it). The proper name would be kitucho chili, and it´s typical from the north argentinean and Bolivia region.

So, let´s summarize, because you´re probably a little confused right now.
First question (pictures 1-4): jalapeño or what?
Second question (pictures 5-8): what?
Third question (pictures 5, 9-11): plants n.1, 2, 3 and 5 all the same, or n.1 different from the others?
And fourth question: how is it that you are still here and reading? Thank you!

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Picture 5

Picture 6

Picture 7

Picture 8

Picture 9

Picture 10

Picture 11

moruga welder · Jun 22, 2016

to T.H.P. ! :onfire:

obeychase · Jun 22, 2016

Pictures 1-4: look like they could be normal red mature Jalapeño peppers, but without flowers it could be a bit hard to tell. The leaves definitely look like capsicum annuum, which is the genus of Capsicum that the Jalapeño belongs to. That being said, some jalapeños are notorious for "corking" which is when the fruit develops a dry and cracked look to it. If any of those pods develop that phenotype, then I would say 99.99% it is a typical Jalapeño.

Pictures 5-8: look like capsicum annuum but the pod shape screams cayenne pepper, again, a member of the capsicum annuum family. The smaller bushier plant is most likely a thai pepper.

Pictures 9-11: look like the two plants to the left could be the same variety. It's kind of difficult to tell since the other has no fruit. The third and fourth plant look like thai peppers. I might even say that the second plant could kind of look like the thai pepper as well. To me, the leaves look slightly different.

With all of this said though, it's really difficult to tell just by looking at the plant structure and leaves exactly what variety they are. Judging from the leaf shape and flatter texture, I would bet my money that they are Capsicum Annuum. With no fruit or flowers, especially with the plants this young, it's difficult to identify those. From what I've gathered so far, it seems to me that you have a jalapeño plant and a cayenne with possibly some thai peppers. How many? Your guess is as good as mine.

***Tip***

You should grow in separate individual pots. Those plants are going to get cramped.

robbyjoe01 · Jun 22, 2016

Welcome. Read the last paragraph and looked at the pics and agree with Obeychase.

spicefreak · Jun 23, 2016

Those pods look like Fresno to me.

Jigsaw · Jun 23, 2016

I would say fresno too just because a red jalapeno would have cracks and these are smooth

obeychase · Jun 23, 2016

spicefreak said:
Those pods look like Fresno to me.

After googling a pic of a fresno, I now have to agree with spicefreak.

If any of those pods start to look like this, definitely jalapeño.

Similar nonetheless!

Nicolas_bsas · Jun 23, 2016

Well, thanks to all for the quick answer, and to giving me such a HOT welcome! :fireball:

(Hahahaha... Sorry, but I had to do the joke).

So, regarding to the peppers:

1) The jalapeño vs fresno pepper: it can be any of both indeed. The first time I bought them, stored in the fridge for weeks, and never cracked up. They turned to black when they were overripen, but didn´t cracked. So I guess they are fresnos. Question is why are they importing fresnos, which are a little more specific thing than jalapeños for people not really used to hot peppers, but that´s not the problem. I guess we´ll know it better when the plant grows: wikipedia says that fresno "is genetically distinct from the Jalapeño and it grows point up, rather than point down as with the Jalapeño". I promise to keep you updated.
2) Now that you pointed it, yes, the big one looks like cayenne pepper now.

obeychase said:
Pictures 9-11: look like the two plants to the left could be the same variety. It's kind of difficult to tell since the other has no fruit. The third and fourth plant look like thai peppers. I might even say that the second plant could kind of look like the thai pepper as well. To me, the leaves look slightly different.

3) The other 4 plants in the big pot: could be thai indeed, three of them at least. I´ll compare them to those that I´m positive sure they are thai. Send you pictures later. Except, of course, the plant n.3, whose leaves look absolutely different. It´s definitely another variety, and it´s not thai. I though it was C. chacoense (one of the varieties called here "putaparió"), but I googled it yesterday and the leaves are different. But, yes, of course it´s hard to guess with no flowers, fruits, etc.

obeychase said:
***Tip***

You should grow in separate individual pots. Those plants are going to get cramped.

I know, thanks. I was trying to determine what they are, or have an idea at least, before I move them to individual and bigger pots. I was thinking one 30lt one (8 gallons) for jalapeños/fresnos, and 20lt (5,2 gallons) for the thai ones, would that be ok?

robbyjoe01 said:
Welcome. Read the last paragraph and looked at the pics and agree with Obeychase.

It was a good idea to summarize then! Hahaha.

Thanks again to all of you.

BlackFatalii · Jun 24, 2016

Nicolas_bsas said:
The jalapeño vs fresno pepper: it can be any of both indeed.

Cut one open and the differences will be more noticeable. Fresnos have thinner walls and the seeds all tend to be in one cluster at the top of the pod. So you will see more open space inside a Fresno as compared to a Jalapeno. But just looking at your first two photos, I'm thinking those are more likely to be Jalapenos. I think the pod shape is a little too round for Fresnos.

Nicolas_bsas said:
wikipedia says that fresno "is genetically distinct from the Jalapeño and it grows point up, rather than point down as with the Jalapeño".

Well, that is not always the case. I grew Fresnos last year and I am growing them again this year, and while some of the pods have grown point up, quite a few have grown point down as well.

willard3 · Jun 24, 2016

Xalapeños are not the only chile that has cracks.

obeychase · Jun 24, 2016

BlackFatalii said:
Cut one open and the differences will be more noticeable. Fresnos have thinner walls and the seeds all tend to be in one cluster at the top of the pod. So you will see more open space inside a Fresno as compared to a Jalapeno. But just looking at your first two photos, I'm thinking those are more likely to be Jalapenos. I think the pod shape is a little too round for Fresnos.

Well, that is not always the case. I grew Fresnos last year and I am growing them again this year, and while some of the pods have grown point up, quite a few have grown point down as well.

I second this

Nicolas_bsas · Jun 24, 2016

You know, yesterday I started to google images from the inside of both peppers, and yes, found exactly this difference you´re pointing now... but then I thought if I opened one, the results would surely be inconclusive. So I didn´t do it.
But, now that you mention it, let´s go for it!!!

So, again, the pepper from the outside...

And now from the inside:

So, correct me if I´m wrong... it doesn´t ever crack, so it´s more likely a fresno than a jalapeño...
But the seeds don´t tend to be clustered at the top but scattered all along, so it´s more likely a jalapeño than a fresno...

So unless you could guess from the thick of the skin... inconclusive!!!

BlackFatalii · Jun 25, 2016

Nicolas_bsas said:
inconclusive!!!

I disagree. The shape of the pod is too well rounded, and the look of the pod cut open is different from what I am used to seeing in Fresnos. I am now convinced that these peppers are not Fresnos.

hotpeppaharry · Jun 25, 2016

you should prune those little guys before they get any bigger

Streamer · Jun 25, 2016

FRESNO 2016 in pic below... I don't think the OP has Fresno. Something like Jalapeno or close related annuum.
I have some Jalapenos that resemble the above OP exactly. They are a NO HEAT jalapeno. They ripen to a smooth red and DO NOT CRACK. I won't grow them again as they taste crappy and no heat to boot. Not even mild.

Nicolas_bsas · Jun 26, 2016

Ok, so it seems they are jalapeños in the end, despite they don´t crack... but these ones are hot and don´t taste crappy.
Thanks to all for your help!

Streamer · Jun 26, 2016

Wish mine were same as yours Nicolas_bsas. Nice lookin peppers and with heat too. :clap:

Mabuse · Jun 27, 2016

About the green pod, I think it grew quite prematurely in relation to the plant's development, and probably it wont get the regular shape/size it's supposed to be, whatever it is, so probably future pods, when the plant more mature, will be different. For it's shape and color I think it could be a banana pepper, I think cayennes start out with a darker green, but I may be wrong since I haven't grown cayenne yet.

Nicolas_bsas · Jun 27, 2016

Streamer said:
Wish mine were same as yours Nicolas_bsas. Nice lookin peppers and with heat too.

Well, you know what they say: don´t count your chickens...
In the pictures you can see one of the few I bought, but let´s see how they grow. Hopefully, they grow the same :drooling:

Mabuse said:
About the green pod, I think it grew quite prematurely in relation to the plant's development, and probably it wont get the regular shape/size it's supposed to be, whatever it is, so probably future pods, when the plant more mature, will be different. For it's shape and color I think it could be a banana pepper, I think cayennes start out with a darker green, but I may be wrong since I haven't grown cayenne yet.

Maybe, we´ll have to wait a little more to see, but it´s true that it´s premature, and there are no new visible pods (and it won´t be probably for long, since it´s winter). So maybe you´re right. But cayenne is one of the fer peppers that we use here, so that´s a point for cayenne. We´ll see.

Nicolas_bsas · Oct 3, 2016

Hello once again, and welcome back to an old "what on earth are these peppers" thread.
To summarize, I planted or received, at the end of the summer here (that is, little more than 6 months ago) several varieties of peppers, which we tried to identify in this post. Since they were really young plants (only one managed to throw a fruit before the cold session), we tried to do it from the leaves and, in one case, from the original fruit. But I think we missed a few shots: there are still 3 varieties unidentified. Or 2, if I´m not wrong about one of them.
Let me show you.

1- This was labeled as cayenne. It was the only one who produced a fruit. Looks like it was correctly identified to me, so no problem here. I took pictures anyway, just in case.

2- This one was never in doubt. I bought the seeds as thai, and looks like they sent me right what I asked. So no problem here as well.

So far, no problems with 1 and 2, unless you see something different. But here comes the news.

3- This was a really problematic one. I got this one from seeds that I took from some unlabeled peppers I bought. We discussed over if it was jalapeño or fresno, because from the outside could have been both. It didn´t crack, so that pointed to fresno. But then I opened one, and the seeds where not clustered at the top but scattered all along, pointing to be jalapeño, and that sealed the discussion. But there was another thing mentioned... jalapeños grow point down, while fresnos, or some of them at least (to make it even more difficult to ID them) don´t.
At that time, the plant wasn´t producing fruits, so I couldn´t tell. Well, guess what...

The colour attracted my attention. The fruit is not completely developed (they were a little bigger than that), and it´s already changing the colour. But notyet to the bright red of the ripened fruit, but to black. Might be a hint (but not to me, of course).

4-These were labeled as thai. Now it turns obvious they´re not. If you ask me, it´s a local variety, labeled as capsicum chacoense. A wild pepper, not offered in stores, but used in some local recipes. Of course I might be wrong.

5-And the last one. Didn´t grow too much (I know, the pot doesn´t help, but I don´t have a lot of space and I would like to know what it is before I move it to a bigger one), not bushy at all, no fruits, no flowers, no nothing at all. Really big leaves (I forgot to put the pen next to it, but the leaves of the plant next to it are from the likely-to-be-Chacoense...they are at least 5 times bigger, and even more).

So... any clues? I am really intrigued about the jalapeño/fresno issue... could it be a third variety? Number 4 I´m almost positive it´s chacoense, but who knows. And number 5 is another mistery to me... Hope you can figure it out!