chinense Habanero De Arbol or "Tree Habanero"

[I_love_peppers]

Hi all,

I recently received seeds for the habanero de arbol (tree habanero) and I was hoping I could get some information about variety. I did a quick search on Google and can't find any info!

Not to be stupid, but are these peppers actually habaneros? What's the flavor and heat like for this pepper?

If I grow this in a container, how big should it be? Looks like my usual 5-gallon pot will be too small.

Thanks!

 

[gnslngr]

Tree huh? Try Beth at Peppermania- i've got a few started , they are supposed to be a cross between De Arbol Chilies and the Orange Habanero.
I hope they get as big as a tree!THAT would be !

 

[smokemaster]

Habanero De Arbol isn't a Habanero,it may be a ChinenseXBaccatum cross though.

Here is the story I was told about the Plant.
Back in 1999 or so a guy who worked for a local nursery went home to somewhere in Mexico for a visit and braught seeds for it back with him to grow at work to eat with his lunch.
The plant he got the seeds from in mexico was said to be over 12ft. high and as wide.
It was supposed to be 10 or 15 yes. old.

At the nursey customers started asking if they could get seeds for it or plants.
The next season the grower sold Habanero De Arbol and couldn't grow enough of them...So
he grew a ton of them the next year.Couldn't give them away.
Here in S.Ca. peppers grow year round.
People either liked the pepper and already had one or found it got too big or was too hot for their liking.
For several years they didn't grow anymore or sell Habanero De Arbol.
They grew more in about 2 or 3 years ago.

The plant does well in cooler temps.Mine grew about 11 or 12 ft. tall and easily as wide the second year.
It only grew about 8ft. tall the first year.

Most put out 1 1/2 inch X 1/2in pods that are green to yellow/orange and purple to orange but I baought one year before last that grew red pods.

It is very prolific and in the right climate produces yeasr round.
For some reason in the cooler temps. it puts out pods that taste heavily of Baccatum but the pods I get in the summer have a definate Chinense taste.
They are about a 5 on the heat scale+/-.

My 12+ yr. old plant was killed by mites last year.It had been trimmed down to about 8ft X 5 or 6ft. the 3rd year I had it.
I grew it in a true 20 gal. pot.
It likes being somewhat root bound,didn't like to be re potted after 6 yrs.
It put out about a 5 gal. bucket of pods a year combined.
Good for powder and pickled with onions,carrots,mushrooms and garlic(toss in some hard boiled eggs).
I liked them better dried than fresh.

Red tree Habanero a few months old.

Mite infested Orange Tree Habanero after trimming several times over the years-just before it died...

Guess which ones the Tree.2009 I think.

In better days-before mite attacks.

 

[gnslngr]

Well, the "Trees" have it!That is impressive- pods look like you said- Baccatum near the stem...Kinda look like Paper Lanterns(not habs either, just a chinense)-and they aren't good until all the way ripe-at least mine aren't.Thats to bad about the mites.
Thanks for that post -interesting story, I keep forgetting about this one as you don't see it mentioned very often, 3 out 5 popped for me.
I was kinda regretting not having many medium range/low range peppers...nice to know I have some serious bush coming my way!That just made my day...
Have a Good One-
Dave

 

[millworkman]

Love it Smokemaster!!!

Here are a few of mine that I grew from seeds from Smokemaster. I started the plant mid summer in 2009 and grew the same plant in 2010 and 2011 cutting it back for winter each time. Last year I didnt get to it before the first freeze and it died.

Far right plant at the beginning of summer 2010.

Early growth took off!

Ending 2010

 

[smokemaster]

I wouldn't ever trim it if you want a tree.
It just fills out and won't grow taller after the first trim.
Mine didn't but that might be due to our weather.
Plants grow and fruit year round.
Maybe overwintering in some place that actually has a winter might give it a break from setting fruit and let it grow more plant...
I trimmed mine after a couple years and wish I hadn't.
I've seen pics of them that were easily 15 ft. tall and almost as wide.
I only trimmed mine due to the space I have to grow in,lack of space...

I gave Beth the seeds for the tree a while back.
I've been fighting a massive mite attack for about 4 yrs. now.
They killed everything last season.

I have probably spread pounds of seeds for the tree around over the last 10+ yrs.
I've got a couple crosses too.#1 is with Aji red and another that is the Tree hab. X aji red X 7 pot or scorion.

Plant for either cross isn't a tree.Has Baccatum buds.

 

[millworkman]

Start of winter 2010/2011

Got killed by a hail storm last year

But came back

 

[gnslngr]

Great pics both of you.

Do you have any of the cross seeds , possibly that you would trade some for?All you have to do hint it was near a seven pot....does it have some seven taste to it?

 

[smokemaster]

The cross this year was in the middle of Yellow scorpion,Sweet Scotch Bonnet,Small vietnamese,Red Tree Bab.,guyana,red fatalii and brown scorpion.
Didn't eat any of my pods last year.
Sprayed every poison known to man on my plants trying to kill the mites.
I do have a few pods dried of the tree hab x sji red x scorpion.
pm me with what you have to trade.

 

[patrick]

Wonderful thread you guys thanks.

Millman I knew you had a good one going. The pictures of the naked tree surrounded by the hailstones almost made me cry. Man those are brutal! Loved the next pics showing the new growth though! Tough bastages these peppers.

Smokemaster thank you for the history lesson. You sir are the Yoda of pepper history.

 

[souf]

woww awesome photos everyone! makes me want to go plant some seeds

 

[synclinorium]

Awesome plants... suddenly I want to grow some. But no, I must resist...

 

[I_love_peppers]

Thanks for the pics everyone!

@Smokemaster: the seeds I have are actually from you! I participated in Bonnie's pepper swap on GardenWeb and was one of the lucky ones that received your tree habanero seeds. It sure is an impressive plant, and I'm in California as well, so I'm looking forward to growing one. Year round peppers sounds great!

So here's another question; what are the characteristics of a Baccatum taste? You mention that this pepper tastes heavily of it in cooler temps. I've yet to grow chilies in this group. I read somewhere that it has a more berry-like flavor. Is that accurate?

Thanks!

 

[Yumyumyellow]

Would these need to be brought in for the winter in zone 7?

 

[gnslngr]

Yes, any time it gets to freezing....or close to it when accompanied by any prolonged wet periods.

 

[millworkman]

Would these need to be brought in for the winter in zone 7?

Absolutely. But they survive quite well in a little sunlight through the winter as long as you dont keep them wet.

 

[Doomsdaykillz]

So is this am actual chili tree? How are the shu levels?
If it is a tree does anyone have any seeds for trade r sale or anything? I'd only be looking for a few since I'm in NYC and I'd have to grow it in a pot and being it indoors to my basement in the winter.

Would it survive with the scattered light from my grow rack of carnivorous plants indoors?

 

[Downriver]

Reviving this thread on purpose.

In another thread somewhere, I saw @Datil and @Anders talking about this pepper, and that it doesn't seem to be available anywhere.

Back in 2013, I received seeds for "Habanero de Arbol" from Mike (aka @smokemaster). I grew it in 2014 then overwintered, grew it for the 2015 season then overwintered, and grew it through the 2016 season, when it finally gave up the ghost. My plant and pods looked just like what @millworkman posted above in post #7.

Well, you guys got me to remembering that not long ago, I found a tub of pods way in the back of my beer fridge that I would guess are from the 2014 season. They did not rot, rather they seemed to have "dehydrated" naturally in the fridge. So, I figured WTH, let's give them a go and see what happens.

I grabbed one of the pods. It looked like this.



Busted it open and counted 68 seeds.



I had the bottom of a sweet potato in a mini SIP to see if it would grow a few slips. With these seeds being so old, I thought germination would be sparse at best and this SIP would be a great place to try to germinate. I planted all 68 seeds thickly in little rows lol.



Low and behold, I had a sprout or two on day 10. Surprise, Surprise!



At the 14 day mark, I counted somewhere around 40 seedlings. WTF! They're too thick to get an accurate count, lol. So, I guess the seeds are viable, ha.



Thanks to you guys for the inspiration. If you're interested in trying to grow your own Tree Hab, send me your info. Although these pods weren't bagged, there was not another pepper plant within 300 yd of this one, so I would say they're at least "semi-isolated".

Now I gotta figure out what to do with this jungle!

 

[Datil]

Reviving this thread on purpose.

In another thread somewhere, I saw @Datil and @Anders talking about this pepper, and that it doesn't seem to be available anywhere.

Back in 2013, I received seeds for "Habanero de Arbol" from Mike (aka @smokemaster). I grew it in 2014 then overwintered, grew it for the 2015 season then overwintered, and grew it through the 2016 season, when it finally gave up the ghost. My plant and pods looked just like what @millworkman posted above in post #7.

Well, you guys got me to remembering that not long ago, I found a tub of pods way in the back of my beer fridge that I would guess are from the 2014 season. They did not rot, rather they seemed to have "dehydrated" naturally in the fridge. So, I figured WTH, let's give them a go and see what happens.

I grabbed one of the pods. It looked like this.



Busted it open and counted 68 seeds.



I had the bottom of a sweet potato in a mini SIP to see if it would grow a few slips. With these seeds being so old, I thought germination would be sparse at best and this SIP would be a great place to try to germinate. I planted all 68 seeds thickly in little rows lol.



Low and behold, I had a sprout or two on day 10. Surprise, Surprise!



At the 14 day mark, I counted somewhere around 40 seedlings. WTF! They're too thick to get an accurate count, lol. So, I guess the seeds are viable, ha.



Thanks to you guys for the inspiration. If you're interested in trying to grow your own Tree Hab, send me your info. Although these pods weren't bagged, there was not another pepper plant within 300 yd of this one, so I would say they're at least "semi-isolated".

Now I gotta figure out what to do with this jungle!

Amazing Rick!! The legend of this pepper goes on!
I'm really interested, DM on his way

F

 

[MarcV]

Now that's a seriously big plant in those old pictures!