My habanero plants, started from seeds barely five months ago, have been very productive and have so far contributed to my kitchen with some dozen fruits, orange and knobbly as expected. However, I've now got two that are distinctly different. One is orange but is elongated with a slight but distinct pointy tail. The other one is red, and the tail is quite prominent. If it was wrinkly and shown to me off the plant I would've said that it's a reaper. But it's smooth like a habanero.
As I mentioned in my introduction post, I grow several varieties next to each other. And it just so happens that my Carolina reapers are next to the habaneros, in separate pots. I've read everything I could find about cross-pollination, and the consensus is that the fruit will still have all the characteristics of the mother plant, with any genetic changes only showing in the next generation. So what's happening here?
I've enclosed two pics, showing the standard fruit and the aberration, both still on the plants.
As I mentioned in my introduction post, I grow several varieties next to each other. And it just so happens that my Carolina reapers are next to the habaneros, in separate pots. I've read everything I could find about cross-pollination, and the consensus is that the fruit will still have all the characteristics of the mother plant, with any genetic changes only showing in the next generation. So what's happening here?
I've enclosed two pics, showing the standard fruit and the aberration, both still on the plants.
