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baccatum Question about baccatum varieties...

MarcV

MarcV

eXtreme
Although I have some seeds lying around of capsicum baccatum varieties, I never actually grew any. (Those seeds came as extras with seed orders)
One of the reasons I haven't tried any of them is that - as far as my knowledge goes - baccatum plants tend to grow quite large. I'm not sure if that assumption is accurate though.
Hence my question : are there any baccatum varieties that stay small enough so they can easily be grown in pots?
 
Seeds that I have available :
Trepadeira Werner
Aji Amarillo
Aji Habanero
Aji Peruvian
Peppadew
 
 
I was looking at my baccatums this morning and noticed something:  the thin-fleshed varieties tend to have smaller leaves, willowy growth and are shorter (under 1m).  By contrast the thick-fleshed varieities have large leaves, erect busy growth and get big - one of my Brazilian Pumpkiun plants is now 7 foot tall!
 
Of all your varieties the Trepadeira Werner is the shortest - about 3foot tall and whippy willowy branches.  The Pepperdew also gets about 3foot tall.  Aji Amarillo is a vigorous tall grower.  Not sure about the rest.
 
The Aji Pineapple plants I had this past season were small, almost dwarfs, but many of my plants were like that this year, likely because we had a cooler, wet season than normal.  That's the only baccatum I've grown to date, but this coming season I'm growing several so I'm also interested in this thread to see which ones will become monsters.  I've heard that Bishop's Cap/Orchid can become quite large.
 
I've been thinking about the Aji Pineapple myself but I haven't got any seeds of it and I have no more room left, so I guess that will be for the 2016 season! :lol:
I wonder what baccatums actually taste like compared to the average annuum or chinense... haven't got a clue!
 
Bishop's Crown also gets huge!  Very long to ripen though.
 
Baccatum vary in flavour.  Pepperdew is almost tasteless - just a hint of apple.  The commercial pickled product gets its flavour from the pickling brine.
 
Lemon Drop has a definite musky flavour (put a whole bunch chopped up in jar - cat pee comes to mind) but it is really tasty.  I wait for the responses to this
 
The thicker-fleshed varieties all have a similar sweet apple and hint of musk taste.  The thinner fleshed varieties have a fruity flavour, but it is wispy - not a whole mouth type of thing.  The heat is also fantastic - hits very hard and can stick around for a long time.
 
Aji Kaleofoscope is a great one - very big and bushy and incredibly productive - the branches droop with the weight of the fruit.  Medium-sized very fleshy fruits with a tingle - no real heat.  Makes an amazing puree to use as a base for hot sauces.
 
Aji de la tierra is great - smallish plant, thin fleshed, hot and fruity - makes a great powder.
 
Aji Queen Laurie ditto - just bigger fruits.
 
Aji Brazilian Pumpkin - gets very tall, productive, beautiful fruit.  Thick fleshed and crunchy - a far better variety than Pepperdew.  Try this one pickled!  Nice heat!
 
any plant can be kept small with pruning / trimming. Also lowering pot size makes the plant smaller (like 3 gal is 3ft, 1 gal is 1-2ft).
 
my aji starfish plants last season were about 2ftx4ft untrimmed in 5 gallon bags.
 
Lemon Drop has a definite musky flavour (put a whole bunch chopped up in jar - cat pee comes to mind) but it is really tasty.  I wait for the responses to this
 
Click to expand...
 

 
Just don't put your plants in the cat litter box! :lol:
 
Some of those verieties I've never heard of before! I'm almost wishing season 2015 was already over and I could start preparing for 2016! :oops:
...or I could get rid of my space consuming citrus collection to create more room! ;)
 
I'm trying to germinate the trepadeira werner seeds but it might not work because the seeds have been around here for a couple of years. If they don't germinate by the end of the year I'll give one of the other varieties a try.
 
I have ruled out the peppadew, that leaves 3 varieties to choose from. Any suggestions?
 
Aji Amarillo
Aji Habanero
Aji Peruvian
 
If the seeds have been properly kept, a few years shouldn't hurt them, they should still germinate, just give them time.
 
I have tried both Aji Amarillo and Aji Peruvian. Aji Amarillo is one of my favorite peppers. It is an awesome tasting pepper with respectable heat and a nice juicy crunchy texture to it. Aji Peruvian is more like a Thai in shape and texture and is also pretty good fresh. They are also very good in powder form. I don't know if Aji Amarillo makes a good powder because the ones I had were so good they were all consumed fresh.
 
chsy83 said:
I grew Queen Laurie this past season for the first time.  I wish I had grown more than I had, the aroma is awesome.  I found it reminiscent of dreamsicle.
Click to expand...
Whoa. I've barely heard of Queen Laurie, but I gotta check that out. Yum.
 
You may want to consider Inca Red Drop . . . I grow these most every year.  They will do fine in containers as the plant only gets a couple of feet tall.  They are a medium heat pepper with a nice sweet/citrusy flavor typical of baccatum varieties.
 
 
Aji Amarillo
Aji Habanero
Aji Peruvian
Click to expand...
 
Have not had these yet but I read a LOT of threads and I've seen plenty of favor towards the Aji Amarillo. If I were you i'd go with that one and trim if/when necessary.
 
Yip I'm with these guys ^^^^
 
Aji Amarillo is the first choice baccatum.
 
Aji Habanero is nice - pretty pale yellow conical fruits  with a flavour very similar to lemon Drop but not as intense.  Everytime I look at the fruits I think "CAAAANNNDDDYYY!!!  They would be really well-suited to cany'ing in a syrup - just a nice heat but good crunch and a nice musky flavour.
 
I can also recommend Rainforest.  It was probably my standout of the season.  Small willowy bush - only got to 35cm tall in a 2 gallon container.  The fruits are beautiful - weird shapes - like a Bishops Crown but pointed, dull orange-red, thin-fleshed, very sweet and musky fruity - really really good.  Not only very pretty but besides the Amarillo I would say the best-tasting Aji.
 
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