Here we go again. Summer 2021 : I hand pollinated some Aji Ahuachapan (aka CAP 220) flowers with Hallow’s Eve pollen. I was hoping to create a hybrid with the taste and production of the Aji (a favorite of mine) but on a dark plant bearing hotter fruits. I didn't use mini Ziploc bags or any other pollen "barriers" because I wanted to prevent the pollinated flowers from overheating and then falling off. A fruit finally formed on one of them so I thought my first cross was born!
Next year (2022). I grew a single F1 plant. The foliage was beautiful with its dark margins and veins, as were the stems. The flowers looked great too, showing characteristics of both species.
Unfortunately, the fruits took too long to ripen and frost came early so I ended up collecting very few seeds. Of the lot, only 9 proved viable.
This year, all plants (F2) grew quite well (except plant #6 which did not survive) but only plant #4 expressed a good quantity of anthocyanin. However, as soon as the pods started to form, I noticed something weird: the presence of a bleeding calyx on some fruits
Since neither parent had this trait I immediately knew “my cross” wasn’t mine but rather the work of bees or ants. I'm not a genetic engineer but I highly doubt this could be the result of a spontaneous mutation either. In other words I’m stuck with another pure basterd, hence the name of this GLOG "Okay, I reckon the hare gets fucked" (a quote from the Snatch movie). Dammit!!
I went back to look at my 2021 planting map to confirm that I had only grown 2 BBG crosses at the time, including 3 Midnight BBG plants that were nearby my CAP 220.
What were the odds for this kind of bad luck happening, with a flower I hand pollinated earlier on?! However, my initial disappointment was short-lived as I now have an orange C. baccatum x C. chinense cross with dark foliage and a bleeding calyx genetic to play with! From now on this cross will be called AAx. Here are photos of the current generation (F2).
AAx 1 (a very slow grower; might ripen to yellow)
AAx 2
AAx 3
AAx 4 (
the chosen one!)
The only one to show the lankier growth habit commonly observed with Pimenta de Neyde crosses. It's a very good producer of heavy, thick-walled and crunchy pods that retained the main flavor of CAP220 with only a tiny hint of that crappy soapy aftertaste!
AAx 5
A lot of placental tissue here but the pod texture is softer and not crunchy at all.
AAx 6 (RIP!)
AAx 7 (another slow grower!)
AAx 8
AAx 9 (the only yellow, so far!)
The latter has that usual citrusy flavor profile while also being quite "soapy"
Next year (2022). I grew a single F1 plant. The foliage was beautiful with its dark margins and veins, as were the stems. The flowers looked great too, showing characteristics of both species.
Unfortunately, the fruits took too long to ripen and frost came early so I ended up collecting very few seeds. Of the lot, only 9 proved viable.
This year, all plants (F2) grew quite well (except plant #6 which did not survive) but only plant #4 expressed a good quantity of anthocyanin. However, as soon as the pods started to form, I noticed something weird: the presence of a bleeding calyx on some fruits
Since neither parent had this trait I immediately knew “my cross” wasn’t mine but rather the work of bees or ants. I'm not a genetic engineer but I highly doubt this could be the result of a spontaneous mutation either. In other words I’m stuck with another pure basterd, hence the name of this GLOG "Okay, I reckon the hare gets fucked" (a quote from the Snatch movie). Dammit!!I went back to look at my 2021 planting map to confirm that I had only grown 2 BBG crosses at the time, including 3 Midnight BBG plants that were nearby my CAP 220.
What were the odds for this kind of bad luck happening, with a flower I hand pollinated earlier on?! However, my initial disappointment was short-lived as I now have an orange C. baccatum x C. chinense cross with dark foliage and a bleeding calyx genetic to play with! From now on this cross will be called AAx. Here are photos of the current generation (F2).AAx 1 (a very slow grower; might ripen to yellow)
AAx 2
AAx 3
AAx 4 (
the chosen one!)The only one to show the lankier growth habit commonly observed with Pimenta de Neyde crosses. It's a very good producer of heavy, thick-walled and crunchy pods that retained the main flavor of CAP220 with only a tiny hint of that crappy soapy aftertaste!
AAx 5
A lot of placental tissue here but the pod texture is softer and not crunchy at all.
AAx 6 (RIP!)
AAx 7 (another slow grower!)
AAx 8
AAx 9 (the only yellow, so far!)
The latter has that usual citrusy flavor profile while also being quite "soapy"
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The magic of mass sowing!