I am currently growing yellow and red Manzanos. I have read that certain C. pubescens varieties don't do as well at high temps. My Manzano leaves have been looking kind of droopy. I live in Michigan, and our summers can be mild compared to southern states, but it can also be over 100 degrees so I don't know how much I should be concerned. I was wondering if anyone here was knowledgeable about pubescens varieties who could tell me if Manzanos, Rocotos and Locotos are the same thing, and the differences between them. I want to compare and contrast to find the best for a Michigan climate. Also, which pubescens is hottest? I have read that some are hotter than habs, and I have seen them listed among the hottest. I am also interested in any other good pubescens varieties. Thank you.
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pubescens C. pubescens questions
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I will follow this link as I have killed 4 or 5 of them. What I liked was the fact they can produce around 500 lbs. by year 3. I tried to find the link to the Redwood City Pepper Co. I think they need an Arid environment.
I personally wouldn't listen to anything redwood city/ecoseeds has to say. They have caused so many problems for newbies with their B.S. logic and theories.
My best luck with Pubescens was the turbo pube and the hottest was likely Equadorian red pepper from hell. They usually seem to like filtered light and they don't seem to tolerate being rootbound very well. I don't think Pubescens really get as hot as habaneros although some may get close around 200000SHU. I know different people have different receptors, and some always find pubes hotter than chinenses even when the scoville ratings are much lower. It likely has to do with different capsaicinoids occuring at different levels
My best luck with Pubescens was the turbo pube and the hottest was likely Equadorian red pepper from hell. They usually seem to like filtered light and they don't seem to tolerate being rootbound very well. I don't think Pubescens really get as hot as habaneros although some may get close around 200000SHU. I know different people have different receptors, and some always find pubes hotter than chinenses even when the scoville ratings are much lower. It likely has to do with different capsaicinoids occuring at different levels
I second POTAWIE. Craig's got a pretty elaborate website but can't give the most sound advice where climate is concerned because he lives across the bay from me. Redwood City is on the ocean side of the bay which is a very moist climate. I'd asked him how my New Mexico chile's would do here at sea-level and he'd said, "Great". Well, not entirely the case. 6600 feet and dry as opposed to 100 feet and moist have a significant effect on chile plant species.
That being said I have a Red Rocoto that I am attempting to revive:
http://thehotpepper....t-could-part-2/
It came from a household that was 40 feet from the ocean in Morro Bay, California, that I had driven inland to Atascadero, California, where it literally looked as if it were "getting a breathe of fresh air".
I can't speak for Manzanos but in my opinion Michigan is a very humid state and albeit you do reach 100 degree temps on occasion it's the moisture in your air may play a role. Then again, it may not. If anything I would place your plant in a location that is predominantly shaded and getting only a few hours of direct sunlight per day.
I say this because direct sunlight seemed to be too much for my Rocoto when in recovery whereas in a dryer climate in the shade it is seeming to prosper.
That being said I have a Red Rocoto that I am attempting to revive:
http://thehotpepper....t-could-part-2/
It came from a household that was 40 feet from the ocean in Morro Bay, California, that I had driven inland to Atascadero, California, where it literally looked as if it were "getting a breathe of fresh air".
I can't speak for Manzanos but in my opinion Michigan is a very humid state and albeit you do reach 100 degree temps on occasion it's the moisture in your air may play a role. Then again, it may not. If anything I would place your plant in a location that is predominantly shaded and getting only a few hours of direct sunlight per day.
I say this because direct sunlight seemed to be too much for my Rocoto when in recovery whereas in a dryer climate in the shade it is seeming to prosper.
PaulG
Extreme Member
I have noticed my orange rocoto from Beth's mystery seed packet
prefers to be in dappled shade/sun. Also seems to have a narrow
band for 'favorite' conditions. Too much or too little of anything seems
to cause it to droop slightly, although as time goes on, it is less noticable.
I think it just needs to be outside in it's final container home.
The manzanos I got from Shane germinated nicely, and now the seedling
I kept is doing well, so eventually I'll have a couple to compare, and then
we can nail down your questions! I really want to try to overwinter a pubescens
or two!
As for nomenclature, Wikipedia entry says:
Capsicum pubescens is a species of the genus Capsicum (pepper), which is found primarily in Central and South America. The name component pubescens means hairy, which refers to the hairy leaves of this pepper. The plants, but especially the fruits, are often referred to as rocoto (Quechua: ruqutu) and locoto (Aymara: luqutu).[sup][1][/sup] As they reach a relatively advanced age and the roots lignify quickly, sometimes the familiar name is tree chili. Of all the domesticated species of peppers, this is the least widespread and systematically furthest away from all others. A very notable feature of this species is its ability to withstand cooler temperatures than other pepper plants.[sup][2][/sup]
Here's another discussion thread on eGullet:
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/92035-rocoto-peppers-or-is-it-manzano/
My solution os just to refer to them all as pubescens since there seem to be few varieties.
Hope you can get a more definitive answer!
prefers to be in dappled shade/sun. Also seems to have a narrow
band for 'favorite' conditions. Too much or too little of anything seems
to cause it to droop slightly, although as time goes on, it is less noticable.
I think it just needs to be outside in it's final container home.
The manzanos I got from Shane germinated nicely, and now the seedling
I kept is doing well, so eventually I'll have a couple to compare, and then
we can nail down your questions! I really want to try to overwinter a pubescens
or two!
As for nomenclature, Wikipedia entry says:
Capsicum pubescens is a species of the genus Capsicum (pepper), which is found primarily in Central and South America. The name component pubescens means hairy, which refers to the hairy leaves of this pepper. The plants, but especially the fruits, are often referred to as rocoto (Quechua: ruqutu) and locoto (Aymara: luqutu).[sup][1][/sup] As they reach a relatively advanced age and the roots lignify quickly, sometimes the familiar name is tree chili. Of all the domesticated species of peppers, this is the least widespread and systematically furthest away from all others. A very notable feature of this species is its ability to withstand cooler temperatures than other pepper plants.[sup][2][/sup]
Here's another discussion thread on eGullet:
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/92035-rocoto-peppers-or-is-it-manzano/
My solution os just to refer to them all as pubescens since there seem to be few varieties.
Hope you can get a more definitive answer!
I have seen so many people argue about the names that I agree with paulG. Locoto is rocoto is not locoto is manzano is not manzano. The thing is with common names there is no right answer. I will say most people say that manzanos come from Mexico and not high in the mountains.
The one manzano I have tasted thus far seemed to numb my tongue. I am not sure I would call it burn.
I have grown 2.5 (.5 is the clone) manzanos. I think the real trick is just look at it as long term investment. It took me a year to get fruit (17 pods woo hoo). You really need to walk the line when it comes to nutrients. I had one that looked good in its pot when I could control its food. As soon as I put it in dirt it started to have pale and shriveled leaves. Regular feeding helps. My clone is in Hydro and is growing incredibly fast. Again keeping it in nutes.
The one manzano I have tasted thus far seemed to numb my tongue. I am not sure I would call it burn.
I have grown 2.5 (.5 is the clone) manzanos. I think the real trick is just look at it as long term investment. It took me a year to get fruit (17 pods woo hoo). You really need to walk the line when it comes to nutrients. I had one that looked good in its pot when I could control its food. As soon as I put it in dirt it started to have pale and shriveled leaves. Regular feeding helps. My clone is in Hydro and is growing incredibly fast. Again keeping it in nutes.
@ POTAWIE Thanks for the turbo pube suggestion, and I am really interested in the Ecuadorian Red Pepper from Hell, do you know where I can find seeds?
I have moved my plants to a location that has less hours of direct sunlight and I will watch to see if they improve. I have them all in 5 gallon buckets so becoming rootbound shouldn't be a problem. I have 2 yellow Manzanos, one of which was enormous compared to the other seedlings and grew 2 branches that overlapped the edges of the bucket when I transplanted. I was very pleased with the fast growth of the yellows. The red plant is smaller but seems to be handling the heat and direct sunlight better than the yellows.
I have moved my plants to a location that has less hours of direct sunlight and I will watch to see if they improve. I have them all in 5 gallon buckets so becoming rootbound shouldn't be a problem. I have 2 yellow Manzanos, one of which was enormous compared to the other seedlings and grew 2 branches that overlapped the edges of the bucket when I transplanted. I was very pleased with the fast growth of the yellows. The red plant is smaller but seems to be handling the heat and direct sunlight better than the yellows.
I have some Manzano seeds as well (Orange (maybe red?) and Yellow.
Can't wait to plant them out...
I have been dabbling in hydroponics... I might well put one in that.
Living in FL, we are at 100% humidity and 90f 11 months out of the year (ok maybe not, but at least 3-4).
If humidity is going to kill it, I'm doomed.
Can't wait to plant them out...
I have been dabbling in hydroponics... I might well put one in that.
Living in FL, we are at 100% humidity and 90f 11 months out of the year (ok maybe not, but at least 3-4).
If humidity is going to kill it, I'm doomed.
I have 5 manzanos and was ready to rip them out the alway get treehoppers and havn't produced anything in the year I've had them, and have been looking pretty horrible but still alive. Finally i noticed the past couple months the manzanos i have in the backyard in full sun for at least 6 or 7 hours a day are fruiting and no longer just dropping the flowers and looking pretty damn healthy now, all i do is water them. I was so close to tearing them out, people told give up on them a few months back I'm glad i didn't, some nice looking pods on them now.
Sorry, no idea where to get seeds. I no longer grow any C. pubescens. I just find them too much of a hastle, and even overwintered plants don't produce well for me no matter what I try
i have C. pubescens seeds i was given by a friend under the name of "Yellow Maryland Pepper." i've been trying to grow them for 2 years. i'll tell you i cannot get them to grow in florida. i have one i planted 4 months ago and it's still 4 inches tall and is yellow and looks like crap. maybe where you are they'll work out but they can't seem to handle the heat down here. i give up.
I had C. Pubescens plants growing in hotter weather than what I see on a Monthly Weather Forecast for Bradenton, FL (currently showing June as of this post).
Do you have a description of the conditions the plant is growing in? Is the plant in full sun all day? Is it over watered?
are you saying i should put it in a shady spot? how many hours would you recommend of sunlight? it does get a lot of sun , and it is definitely not over watered. maybe it's the seeds which are originally from conneticut. that's my guess. or maybe i just need to keep trying.
Try moving it to a position that only receives a few hours of early morning sunlight. During the season I had plants that saw sunlight early in the morning and other plants that barely saw any sunlight at all.
Have you checked how hot the plant container becomes during the day? I aim to use light coloured containers.
South west Exposure,no shade.
Once I went to 20 gal. pots I don't have problems with any C.Pubescens-Rocoto , Manzano , Rocopica or Locoto.
Once I went to 20 gal. pots I don't have problems with any C.Pubescens-Rocoto , Manzano , Rocopica or Locoto.
i have it in a 6" square black pot. i have not checked the temp. thanks for your advice i'll take it into consideration. would love to see some peppers from this bad boy.
maybe ill put it into one of my clay pots i have laying around
Do you have a clay pot that is at least 12" in diameter? Most of my fruiting C. Pubescens plants in containers were in 30 cm / 15 L containers. My oldest plant is in a 45 cm container that is too cumbersome and heavy to move about much.