I can't wait, I've got 4 caja plants aready about a foot tall and will be using grow lights to make them as strong as possible for the spring. I've heard really good things about these, the citrus tang sounds very interesting.
They are super-easy and fun to grow. Expect massive plants with thick, woody, tree-like main trunks.
That congo looks a lot like the XL CR's I sent you, how's the heat on those Congos?
They do look very much like one of the two distinctly different pod types called "Caribbean Red Habanero." The Congo, when fully mature and in grown in ideal conditions, is, in my experience, every bit as potent as the Caribbean Red. I find the flavor of the Congo, however, to be denser and more savory, with a quite intense, pungent aroma, whereas the Caribbean Red, especially the variety I believe you may have, to be fruitier and sharper in flavor and sweet and floral in the aroma.
Holla if you need some Congo seeds and compare for yourself. I will do the same here!
Hey Gary. I'm so glad you are finally getting a good harvest. That was a long wait, and thankfully, it looks like you have lots of chiles to keep you happy till next season. The Lumbres look good. I am just letting mine turn red and am slowly letting them dry to use as enchilada sauce. Hopefully they give you a good burn. Great photos as usual!
Thanks Richard! I am officially in love with the Lumbre chile. All that great New Mexico chile flavor followed up by a nice, mule-kick bite...what's not to love?
Have you tried roasting any?
Fine pics of some beautiful pods and plants!
I tried the Aji Amarillo last year and grew a huge plant with very few pods. I don't think it likes the southeast.
Hope the weather holds out for ya.
Thanks SS! I remember reading your comments last year on the Aji Amarillo...She doesn't seem to be too fond of the South Central area, either. The plants struggled all through the summer just to stay alive, never mind producing any flowers or pods. Finally, since the weather cooled off in October, I'm getting the pods you see here, maybe 20 or so like that on 6 plants, but mostly smaller. What's interesting is that I also have one in a large container on the patio, which grew to 5 feet tall and grew huge, dark green leaves. That one has a few pods on it, too, so I plan to bring it in for the winter and maybe get some all the way to color.
