Been to the island of Minorca twice and there are no datil peppers to be found on that island. Except for some geeky peppergrowers (like me) maybe that ordered them from overseas. I have this one high on my future growlist, but definitely want them to be as close to the original as possible. Will be following this thread closely!
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chinense I'm confused about the Datil pepper
- Thread starter Grass Snake
- Start date
The more credible story is how they came from Cuba but were used by the Minorcan community.
Further supporting the theory that the Datil came to Florida from the Carribean.
Yup, coming from the carribean is way more plausible! Minorcans trying to incorporate some heritage that isn't theirs. They should have sticked to their real heritage... stone slinging and building endless stone walls in the landscape 
They do deserve credit for picking up on growing and cultivating them though!
They do deserve credit for picking up on growing and cultivating them though!
I've also read that the jelly maker in question, S.B. Valls, came from Chile not Cuba. It's even on the Visit St. Augustine website and in the St. Augustine Record as Chile. lol. Who knows?
Since the pepper's history is folklore, I don't think it matters anyway. It's like trying to find out who made the first hamburger, and you know, there are multiple stories and those related to one of the stories will claim it as the real truth, just like this.
I'm sure everyone agrees the Datil has strong roots in St. Augustine FL. The Datil might have looked quite different when introduced to Florida. I like to think the Datil is the result of work done by Floridians. That's why I'm not too concerned about where and who brought it to Florida. Christopher Columbus could have brought it but it wouldn't change how I feel about the pepper.
I do believe it was stabilized in Florida because you can't find it where they say it's from. So prob looked different. Hell, it could have grow wild in FL and that's where it is from lol!
I am growing Datil from Refining Fire Chiles seeds this year.
The Datil pepper is often described as “frutier than a habanero”, which seems to be the description of almost every chinense pepper other than orange habanero - so that seems almost meaningless.
I like growing peppers with an established history and tradition. I’m hoping for a nice unique flavor.
The Datil pepper is often described as “frutier than a habanero”, which seems to be the description of almost every chinense pepper other than orange habanero - so that seems almost meaningless.
I like growing peppers with an established history and tradition. I’m hoping for a nice unique flavor.
Is fruity even a meaningful description of a fruit?
I'm late to this party, but I'll put my two cents worth in. Last year I grew the Baker Creek version:
That's it on the far right. It was about the size of a small jalapeno, most of them with blunt tips instead of pointed tips. It was just a tiny smidgeon less hot than the SB I grew (at the bottom) with a taste leaning a tad more toward habanero than SB. It was a really good pepper, though, and very productive. Last summer, I kinda had to abandon things due to a family death, but I bet I would have harvested over a hundred pods off of it. I will definitely grow it again.
That's it on the far right. It was about the size of a small jalapeno, most of them with blunt tips instead of pointed tips. It was just a tiny smidgeon less hot than the SB I grew (at the bottom) with a taste leaning a tad more toward habanero than SB. It was a really good pepper, though, and very productive. Last summer, I kinda had to abandon things due to a family death, but I bet I would have harvested over a hundred pods off of it. I will definitely grow it again.
CaneDog
eXtreme
Good luck with the Pure Florida Datils, @Grass Snake. A few years back Tybo sent me some Datil seeds he got from Pure Florida and they're awesome; much like the pods in posts 35 and 36. I just potted up a couple of the sprouts yesterday, so I'll be hooked-up come harvest time as well 
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a regular habanero is more on the floral side so “fruity” is used to let you know this Chinense isn’t as floral.
Th
The more I hear about the Baker Creek Datil the more interesting it becomes. It’s currently in my shopping cart haha.I'm late to this party, but I'll put my two cents worth in. Last year I grew the Baker Creek version:
That's it on the far right. It was about the size of a small jalapeno, most of them with blunt tips instead of pointed tips. It was just a tiny smidgeon less hot than the SB I grew (at the bottom) with a taste leaning a tad more toward habanero than SB. It was a really good pepper, though, and very productive. Last summer, I kinda had to abandon things due to a family death, but I bet I would have harvested over a hundred pods off of it. I will definitely grow it again.
Hell yeah! Welcome to the Datil Grow-offGood luck with the Pure Florida Datils, @Grass Snake. A few years back Tybo sent me some Datil seeds he got from Pure Florida and they're awesome; much like the pods in posts 35 and 36. I just potted up a couple of the sprouts yesterday, so I'll be hooked-up come harvest time as well
Bou
eXtreme
The eBay Datil seeds arrived today. Seeds were sent from Jacksonville Florida
Can't wait to see that tomato! 
CaneDog
eXtreme
So, are Jacksonville Datils the same as St. Augustine Datils?
Hope they sprout quickly, GS!