Hontaka

[Spicegeist]

Anyone growing Hontaka or had any experience with this? I'm giving it a try this year. Please post some pics if you've got any.

My seeds are from the CPI:
http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/cart/product/160/hontaka/

 

[ajijoe]

no
but i imagine its a Japanese species and is similar to SANTAKA so its care would be similar to and
from the look of the pic there longer that Santaka

thanks your friend Joe

 

[Spicegeist]

Yeah, it seems similar. I haven't grown any Japanese peppers before. Santaka and Hontaka are often lumped together and sold as Japones here as far as I can tell from reading around...

 

[ajijoe]

Yeah, it seems similar. I haven't grown any Japanese peppers before. Santaka and Hontaka are often lumped together and sold as Japones here as far as I can tell from reading around...

really

from my research

Japones is interchangeable with TAKANATSUMI
Japones is the Mexican grower name for the same
i have seen Santaka and they are similar however
Taka is Japanese for claw and Santaka is Hawks claw
Takanatsumi is something different that im not aware of at this writing
so the names in and of themselves are different and denotes a difference in species so im not so sure there the same??
im not an expert, but i do have a friend that speaks Japanese and she has helped me with this in the past

thanks i hope this helps

your friend Joe

 

[georgej]

I live in Japan and I wouldn't bother growing japanese chillies. No heat and taste isn't all that inspiring..
Japanese pepper always seems to get stuck in my throat and I avoid it if I can as it adds about as much to a dish as if I sprinkled confetti on my noodles.

Just my 2¥

 

[Spicegeist]

I live in Japan and I wouldn't bother growing japanese chillies. No heat and taste isn't all that inspiring..
Japanese pepper always seems to get stuck in my throat and I avoid it if I can as it adds about as much to a dish as if I sprinkled confetti on my noodles.

Just my 2¥

If they don't have any heat, maybe you're eating Fushimi or Shishito? They're supposed to be mild.

Apparently Hontaka, Takatusume, Yatsufusa and Santaka are the hot ones...

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

I live in Japan and I wouldn't bother growing japanese chillies. No heat and taste isn't all that inspiring..
Japanese pepper always seems to get stuck in my throat and I avoid it if I can as it adds about as much to a dish as if I sprinkled confetti on my noodles.

Just my 2¥

Hey guys - Longtime lurker but had to chime in...

I totally disagree with georgej's statement. I've grown Santaka and Takanotsume and I loved both, although my favorite of the two is Takanotsume. In fact, the Takanots are one of the only variety from which I save seeds year to year. Great flavor and mid-level heat, awesome for stir frys and drying. Also very cool looking prolific plants. Highly recommend!

 

[Spicegeist]

Hey guys - Longtime lurker but had to chime in...

I totally disagree with georgej's statement. I've grown Santaka and Takanotsume and I loved both, although my favorite of the two is Takanotsume. In fact, the Takanots are one of the only variety from which I save seeds year to year. Great flavor and mid-level heat, awesome for stir frys and drying. Also very cool looking prolific plants. Highly recommend!

Welcome BuckeyeGuy! Good to read some first hand experience with these... we'll see how the Hontaka turn out. Did you take any pics of what you grew?

 

[georgej]

If they don't have any heat, maybe you're eating Fushimi or Shishito? They're supposed to be mild.

Apparently Hontaka, Takatusume, Yatsufusa and Santaka are the hot ones...

Even the hot stuff ain't hot.
That's why I started growing peppers, because japanese chillies suck balls. People here have less spice tolerance than my grandmother!

Each to their own, but I don't even bother anymore - I just import chilli powder. Trust me, I tried to find hot stuff.

I agree they are nice looking plants though. I'd rather use my limited space for hot stuff that has good flavour.

 

[Spicegeist]

Ha, well thanks for the info. direct from Japan! I'll grow this Hontaka out and post pics if I keep it alive until harvest...

 

[ajijoe]

oh my the way Spice i realized i was wrong

JAPONES is interchangeable with YATSUFUSA not TAKANATSUMI
AND THY ARE HOT!!

thanks your friend Joe

 

[ottawapepper]

Spicegeist,

I've also grown both the Santaka and Takanotsume. I'm just the opposite of BuckeyeGuy, I prefer the Santaka for making flakes. I find them a little hotter than the Takanotsume.

Like BuckeyeGuy, I do grow the Takanotsume year after year but grow it primarily as a nice looking ornamental.

I don't have shots of my Santaka but here are a couple of Takanotsume from last season.

Unripe stage:

A shot of a branch of ripe ones (half of the pods had already been harvested)

 

[ajijoe]

there are two Japanese species i grow almost every year
they are

NIPPON TAKA
POINSETTIA

the Nippon is hot but the other is milder

thanks your friend Joe

 

[Spicegeist]

Spicegeist,

I've also grown both the Santaka and Takanotsume. I'm just the opposite of BuckeyeGuy, I prefer the Santaka for making flakes. I find them a little hotter than the Takanotsume.

Like BuckeyeGuy, I do grow the Takanotsume year after year but grow it primarily as a nice looking ornamental.

I don't have shots of my Santaka but here are a couple of Takanotsume from last season.

Unripe stage:

A shot of a branch of ripe ones (half of the pods had already been harvested)

These look great!

 

[PepperWhisperer]

I grew some santaka (or maybe it was hontaka? place I bought from had both, can't remember which I ordered) last year and was definitely unimpressed. Heat was moderate, flavor was not good at all. Bitter. Might make a better powder, but fresh they were no good compared to the Thai or Goats Weed, or even plain Cayenne.