Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
jrosko_gw

Ghost Pepper or Imposter

jrosko
11 years ago

Hi everyone!

I bought some bhut jolokia seeds online and planted them in early May. I planted 5 seeds and only one actually survived although all 5 did sprout at different intervals but the other 4 mysteriously disappeared after sprouting. The thriving plant however has been growing very quickly and flowers on 4 of the points of the plant. The flowers are yellow bell types that open during the day for a few hours and close quickly, you can kind of see one of them in the pic. The plant itself is growing in a sprawl instead of up and I don't know if that is normal as these are my first attempts at this pepper type. The leaves are thick, waxy, kind of ovoid and have almost a heart shape at the end. I am worried because these leaves do not look like typical bhut jolokia and I am wondering if they change or if I was sold a completely different pepper plant and if so what is it? LOL Any help would be appreciated!

Comments (52)

  • Darylltx
    11 years ago

    It looks like mustard greens or some greens

  • jrosko
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I was starting to wonder if they were even peppers at all too. To tell you the truth whatever it is I am happy to be growing something at all because I am usually bad at this lol. Any suggestions on good reputable seeds for sale then?

  • habjolokia z 6b/7
    11 years ago

    Purslane is what it looks like

    Here is a link that might be useful: Purslane

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    11 years ago

    jrosko:
    Check your email.
    Bruce

  • jrosko
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    That looks like it exactly so I am bummed its not what i wanted but it is an edible salad green so to me that is still a win! Thanks for your help everyone!!! :)

  • munalos
    11 years ago

    Hello,
    I wanted to put a post here to keep my account active. I wanted to acknowledge jroso's effort in to growing rare and special plants, too. I hit the web for a specific Chinese fable I once heard but, I came up with one more to more to share., too. They are one of the first links I found. Do not take them as 100% accurate:

    http://www.storiestogrowby.com/stories/empty_pot_china.html
    http://www.spiritofeureka.com/articles/cracked_pot_fable.htm

    I am not a Chinese lit fan but, both stories fit to recognize jrosco's efforts!

    It looks like this year is a bust. Salvage what you can this season. Next year will be better prepped and you will be more experienced.

    Welcome aboard!

    -Doug

  • peppernovice
    11 years ago

    I feel so bad for you jrosko! I bought ghost pepper seeds on ebay as well. I had never been to this fine place(gardenweb) and didn't know about the perils of ebay when purchasing chile seeds. I did look for a person who had been active for a long time and had very high feed back. I have been anxious for 4 months wondering if I bought a scam. I believe I got lucky. My first peppers came in this week. Here is a pic. I know Bruce will take care of you. He is one of the people who are responsible for the success that I've had. If you need anything else, just let me know. I have a lot of help I need to pay forward! There have been so many people here that have helped me out. If you stick around here, you won't be disappointed!

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    11 years ago

    Peppernovice, thanks for the compliment. Yes, I will be sending out a good sample of seeds to jrosko tomorrow. I hate to hear about people wasting weeks and worse yet months before they realize they are growing Bell Peppers when they wanted Ghost Peppers. It can ruin an entire growing season if they were dead set on a specific variety and wind up with something completely different.
    Bruce

  • User
    11 years ago

    Bruce, good on you. Nice.

    You're a great guy in spite of what people say about you when you're not around ;-))

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    11 years ago


    Bruce

  • peppernovice
    11 years ago

    I knew you would be creeping around in the shadows somewhere Bill. Just waiting to offer a helping hand! I hope you take a look at my other thread. You'll see all the seeds you sent me are alive and doing well! Thank you also for all the help!

  • jrosko
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    You are all so awesome and encouraging thanks for all the feedback. My non-pepper is indeed a purslane and after reading about them and how absolutely beneficial they are when not treated like a weed, I am going to continue growing it and see if i can make something awesome from it. :) In the meantime, I contacted the person I bought the seeds from and relayed my disappointment in my purchase and that I would not be purchasing again. Whether they care or not is their cosmic grapple. I am so glad I found this forum and the friendly people here. I am always hesitant to join forums being new to this and fearing the dreaded n00b condescension. Thanks for making me feel welcome, I am really looking forward to Bruce's delivery and taking care of some real beauties!!!!

  • willardb3
    11 years ago

  • jrosko
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    LOL that is hilarious! I wish I got at least a red pepper instead :)

  • Tslave484
    11 years ago

    I had a similar debacle with ghost pepper plants. We extracted the seeds from a plant that was purchased online and sprouted and replanted them. They look nothing like the original plant. The leaves, the stems and almost everything about them is different. How is this possible?

  • Tslave484
    11 years ago

    This is one of the seedlings. It looks like a big weed to me.

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    11 years ago

    What you have in that green container is a weed. At least it isn't a pepper. My only guess is that the pepper seed or seeds that you planted didn't germinate but somehow a seed from a weed got into the same container and did germinate.
    Bruce

  • fusion94
    11 years ago

    STOP BUYING SEEDS ON EBAY!!!!!!
    you deserve to get screwed... buy from a reputable source...
    chileseeds co uk
    or
    hippie seeds ... both can ship to the US and EVERY single time i grow out what i ordered...
    stop letting people take advantage of you

  • habjolokia z 6b/7
    11 years ago

    Odd, it could have been a Hybrid. Do you have pics of the original plant and pics of the peppers? So we can see a compairson?

  • Edymnion
    11 years ago

    Thats not even a hybrid in the green pot. Its clearly not even a pepper. The leaves are the wrong shape, and the stem is entirely wrong as well.

    Don't know what it is, but a pepper it is not.

  • jrosko
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I have received my seeds :) and am ready to grow after some research and moving my house hehe. Perhaps this is a rite of passage although I don't think I "deserved to get screwed" as fusion94 so eloquently said nor does anyone else. If you are a new pepperhead and do not have a green thumb by birthright or people available to help you, its an easy mistake to make and not very costly considering.

  • peppernovice
    11 years ago

    I just picked one of my bhut jolokia peppers. It's still green, and no where near being ripe. I just picked a couple varieties green, to make a comparison for when they are ripe.Let me assure you, it is very hot even when it's green!I feel a since of accomplishment. I was actually able to grow the beast....but what the heck am I going to do with it now?! :) Time to get the dehydrator out! I can't wait till you get some fresh pods. I just hope you have enough time. It's awful late to start a seed. You may have to wait till next year to tangle with the beast. Good luck.

  • User
    11 years ago

    jrosko,

    No, you didn't deserve to get screwed, that comment was not called for. The scammers on eBay prey on new growers who don't know any better. Now, if you do it again you'll get no sympathy ;-)

    You now have a fresh start with good seed thanks to Bruce. Keep us up to date on how you make out and feel free to ask questions.

    Bill

  • moonlightcsp
    11 years ago

    Jrosko sorry for your problems it sure can be a dissapointment, if you ever need "real Bhut Jolokia" seeds let me know I'll send you some for free, I have plenty this season, just about ready to pick, real disgrace that people would do this on ebay!

  • peppernovice
    11 years ago

    Ditto on the seeds. Here's a pic of one of my bhuts. This is my first year growing them, but I think it's doing pretty good.
    Tim

  • capoman
    11 years ago

    Good job Peppernovice! It's been fun watching you start from scratch and having success.

    As far as prepping them, try throwing one in a spaghetti sauce. They are fabulous there, and the heat is pretty hot, but it's in the back of the throat in a sauce like that which is quite comfortable (unlike cayenne for example which I find is tip of the tongue).

    Sorry to hear of your problem jrosko. I'm sure you'll do well with the seeds given to you!

  • User
    11 years ago

    Ditto Capoman.

    Nice looking plant Tim!

  • peppernovice
    11 years ago

    I owe all my success to the nice people on this forum. If they hadn't held my hand and walked me through this season, who knows where I would be!

    Tim

  • sandy0225
    11 years ago

    most likely you got pepper seeds in the mail from your ebay buyer and the purslane seeds were in the potting soil. Your pepper seeds didn't germinate or rotted most likely. Purslane seed is very common in potting soil mixes.
    We have all kinds of trouble with it coming up in the greenhouse in potted plants.

  • tsheets
    11 years ago

    Sandy, when they come up, do they usually come up in clusters and look like thick bean sprouts? I've had that several times... I've even had it in the garden where I have dumped old potting mix!

  • Macmex
    11 years ago

    Howdy guys,

    I just dropped in because I'm curious. This seems like an appropriate thread for my purposes. I LOVE habaneros, for some years I was growing a mix of crossed/dehybridized plants, descended from Red Savina. The fruit came out in three different colors and shapes. But they were all very good. Then, I lost that seed. After two years, without success in getting it to grow, I purchased a plant, at our Farmers' Coop. I believe it carried a Bonnie's label. It said: "Habanero." Well, that plant grew about 3 1/2' tall, only setting on about twelve fruit. They looked like ghost peppers in shape. But they ripened to yellow, not red. Since I wasn't tracking ghost peppers (had no interest in them) I just thought, "Hey, that's a new shape for an habanero!"

    When frost came, I harvested all the peppers, and within a couple of days I decided to cut open two ripe ones, and extract seed. I'm pretty resistant to capsicum, and I thought I'd just be real careful when I did this. Also, as is my habit, when I cut the first pepper, I took off a bit of the tip and tasted it... yikes! hottest habanero I EVER tried! The flavor wasn't fruity either.

    Do you think this was a cross?

    In October I visited my brother in NJ. He had received some plants from Cross Country Nurseries. A friend of his purchased an assortment and gave him about a dozen plants. I visited while he still had some pods on the plants. Two especially caught my attention. One was called pimiento de chiero (very small fruit). It, nevertheless, had excellent flavor. They other was longer than wide, about 1 1/2" long and yellow. The fruit was somewhat crinkled. I thought it might be a kind of aji. Anyway, that one had fantastic, citrus type flavor. I saved seeds and plant to grow both of these in 2013 (but not ghost peppers).

    Thanks for your time and comments.

    George
    Tahlequah, OK

  • DMForcier
    11 years ago

    > "I purchased a plant ... it carried a Bonnie's label. It said: "Habanero.""

    What it said was "World's Hottest Habanero", which turns out to be Chinense fatalii (or just fatalii) from Africa, a very hot pepper - 125,000 to 300,000 SHU.

    This is a great pepper. I've taken a good 150 pods off mine. The flavor is described as "citrousy", which I only really get in guacamole, when it tastes like fresh orange rind. Otherwise typical habanero taste. They smoke, dry, and refrigerate very well, so I will have plenty until spring.

  • don555
    11 years ago

    Coming in late to this thread but to the guy who was growing purslane and thought it might be an interesting plant to grow -- I sure hope you destroyed it. If you planted it in your garden, next spring monitor that area like a hawk and destroy all purlane on sight. I thought it looked neat in my garden when an errant weed appeared years ago and now nothing I can do will get rid of it. It grows everywhere despite pulling out every plant on sight and disposing of in the garbage. I'd rather be invaded by creeping charlie and quackgrass 1000 times over than have to deal with purslane.

  • scorpion_john
    11 years ago

    i agree, its hard to get rid of purslane. Get rid of it while you can. John

  • Macmex
    11 years ago

    Funny how conditions affect weeds, or desired plants, for that matter. We lived in Mexico for about 14 years and learned to love eating purslane in green salsa with pork. Here in my area we have purslane. I find it growing in cracks in sidewalks and parking lots. But try as I might, I cannot get it to grow in my garden. Compared to Bermuda and Johnson grass I would love to have a "purslane problem."

    DMForcier, thank you for the input on my pepper. As is normal, by this time of the year, I can't find the label. But I'm sure you are correct. I still have a dried Chinense fatalii on my table, and find myself taking another nibble each day. I just cannot believe how hot it is!

    I went through Cross Country Nurseries' website and believe the aji my brother gave me is aji yellow #2

    Great discussion here!

    George

    Here is a link that might be useful: aji yellow #2

  • izzyp1973
    10 years ago

    I think I'm ready!!!

  • Macmex
    10 years ago

    Beautiful!

  • bruteforcenz
    10 years ago

    Hi everyone. I purchased this plant from a fairly reputable store in NZ and it's labelled Bhut Jolokia, but the fruit look different to others i see. Other plants i have from them like 7pot and Fatalii etc are what they say they are, I'm just not sure about these ghost peppers. Please look at the photo and let me know what you think. Thanks

  • bruteforcenz
    10 years ago

    Second photo of above plant

  • thepodpiper
    10 years ago

    surely not a ghost

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    Absolutely not a Bhut Jolokia.

    Josh

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    A lot of interesting discussions. But about purslane , John said the following "

    """""
    i agree, its hard to get rid of purslane. Get rid of it while you can. John
    """""

    I say, why try to get rid of it ? It is a tasty vegetable LOADED with some omega fatty acid like in fish oil. You can eat it raw, in salad, in soup. It is the best and most wanted WEED ever.

    JMO

  • User
    10 years ago

    Sorry bruteforcenz, those are not Ghost (Bhut Jolokia) peppers.

    An unripe Ghost should look like this.

    If you can, bring them back for a refund and ask the vendor if they know what the heck they're growing/selling.

    I'm out of Bhut Jolokia seed but if you send me an email via my profile with your mailing address and email address, I'll forward some Bih Jolokia seeds. They're a very close cousin to the Bhut.

    Bill

    This post was edited by ottawapepper on Sun, Feb 9, 14 at 5:39

  • bruteforcenz
    10 years ago

    A big thank you thepodpiper, greenman28, seysonn and ottawapepper for confirming my fears. I guess i will continue to grow it to see what it is but im bummed its not a ghost pepper :(. The mighty ghost eludes me once more.

    Thanks again all.

    Dale

  • Eddie-j
    9 years ago

    Hope mine don't turn out to be imposters... That would be no bueno... Got them from Amazon... Guess time will tell.

    From left to right...

    Habaneros, Scorpions, Devils, Ghosts then in the back 2 more ghosts in the blue pots and the wife tossed a bunch of seeds from some peppers that looked like Thai chilies we got last year.

  • peppernovice
    9 years ago

    bruteforcenz.... I have Ghost pepper seeds. Send me an e-mail and I'll get them in the mail.

    Bill....Do you want me to send you some as well?

    Tim

  • blackburnj120
    9 years ago

    several of us bought these at Lowes and they were labeled Ghost Peppers. Obviously not. I am trying to id them as they are really nice. Hotter than my habaneros but what makes them stand out is how easy they are to harvest, They slip off the stem with no pressure and no stems comes with them. Plants are ~4 feet high. Any ideas? I'll save some seed to see if they grow true, but I expect not. (grown the santa clara, bay area, ca.)

  • scorpion_john
    9 years ago

    seysonn,
    i have never tried eatting it. to me, its always been a weed. what do you eat? the leaves, stems, or both?

  • northeast_chileman
    9 years ago

    @ BlackBurn, looks like Pequin.> Pequin pepper

  • blackburnj120
    9 years ago

    northeast_chileman , I am thinking it must be a type of pequin as well. Not like my other pequins, but close. I am going to try and aeroclone just to make sure I get the same ones. In case the seeds do not produce the same pepper. I really like how these harvest :)

Sponsored
CHC & Family Developments
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars4 Reviews
Industry Leading General Contractors in Franklin County, Ohio