Hi all! This year I planted 6 Purple UFO pepper plants from seeds. They are doing great - in the ground, ~2’ high, lots of early purple pods. However, on half of the plants the pods are shaped traditionally (like a UFO), on other plants the fruit looks like a purple jalapeño, and on one plant I have fruit of both shapes. Do you all have any idea why this might be?
pod Shape of Purple UFO peppers
- Thread starter CryBaby
- Start date
CaneDog
eXtreme
Wow! Those are really different. It's hard to imagine one plant with each of those pod shapes, which are so distinctly different. It even appears like the calyxes are different, though that might just be the effect of shoulders on the wider pods. I'm not sure what the long ones might be. Sometimes other indicators like flower and calyx composition will help you tell if something's been crossed out, which one might expect as a real possibility in this case. I wonder if they'll taste similarly and have similar heat.
HellfireFarm
eXtreme Business
I can't imagine that those are the same plant.
Ones on the right look a lot like pasillas to me.
Ones on the right look a lot like pasillas to me.
The fruit from these plants all have the same heat level and type - much warmer than a pasilla. I also have one plant (planted from same seeds) that has fruit of both shapes. Any ideas? Even my seed seller is having to research this. Thanks!
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HellfireFarm
eXtreme Business
fruit of both shapes on the same plant breaks my brain 
How thick are the walls of the long ones?
How thick are the walls of the long ones?
Hi! I crossed the UFO purple with some red annuums (some F4 from one old project, with a cayenne-like shape) up to F2. Then I abandoned the project as the shapes obtained were not homogeneous on the same plant, and the bitter taste of UFO Purple did not deserve to continue the line.
Here are some photos in which you can see different shapes. On some plants the shapes were slightly different, some more ufo-shaped, others more wrinkled, others more elongated (like the other parent).
Additionally, some UFO crossings in F2 have lost the purple trait:
I think some of yours crossed with another cultivar.
However, with other varieties I have sometimes had different fruits on the same plant, for example this one should not be shaped like a pumpkin (I don't remember the shape of the other fruits on the plant, I think a classic bell pepper or a bishop's crown hat shape). This anomaly should be caused by environmental reasons.
Here are some photos in which you can see different shapes. On some plants the shapes were slightly different, some more ufo-shaped, others more wrinkled, others more elongated (like the other parent).
Additionally, some UFO crossings in F2 have lost the purple trait:
I think some of yours crossed with another cultivar.
However, with other varieties I have sometimes had different fruits on the same plant, for example this one should not be shaped like a pumpkin (I don't remember the shape of the other fruits on the plant, I think a classic bell pepper or a bishop's crown hat shape). This anomaly should be caused by environmental reasons.
Question answered by seed seller, “We talked with Sherwood and he said that this hybrid is still in it's earlier generations and is not entirely stable yet. It's normal for some of the fruits to not be entirely UFO shaped. If you save the seeds from the fruits that are UFO shaped and plant next year you can help stabilize this new variety of pepper plant. We hope this answers your question you can visit www.sherwoodsseeds.com for more information.” So, SatanicFlatIron, you were correct!
Unfortunately the generation was not indicated, nor was this part of the description when I purchased the seeds.
I am extraordinarily grateful for all the help!
Unfortunately the generation was not indicated, nor was this part of the description when I purchased the seeds.
I am extraordinarily grateful for all the help!
Thank you for the thorough response!Hi! I crossed the UFO purple with some red annuums (some F4 from one old project, with a cayenne-like shape) up to F2. Then I abandoned the project as the shapes obtained were not homogeneous on the same plant, and the bitter taste of UFO Purple did not deserve to continue the line.
Here are some photos in which you can see different shapes. On some plants the shapes were slightly different, some more ufo-shaped, others more wrinkled, others more elongated (like the other parent).
Additionally, some UFO crossings in F2 have lost the purple trait:
I think some of yours crossed with another cultivar.
However, with other varieties I have sometimes had different fruits on the same plant, for example this one should not be shaped like a pumpkin (I don't remember the shape of the other fruits on the plant, I think a classic bell pepper or a bishop's crown hat shape). This anomaly should be caused by environmental reasons.
Thank you. I would correct the seller: from a plant with non-homogeneous fruits, obtaining seeds from UFO-shaped or other shaped fruits is identical: the DNA is the same. The next generation can be expected to maintain some instability (which can also be fun). If most fruits were UFO-shaped, you might expect more stability in relation to that shape. So I would put away the seeds of the plant with homogeneous UFO-shaped fruits, which probably hasn't been open pollinated.
Sellers often do not isolate the flowers of peppers, the result is that only after growing them is it discovered that they are a non-stable F1. This is why it is important to purchase seeds from sellers who specify that they isolate the peppers.
