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dmforcier_gw

Is this really a hab ?

DMForcier
11 years ago

Doesn't look anything like the ones I've grown before. It's from Bonnie Plants at the box store. Leaves look different - broader and different shape - and the pods look more ,,, nuclear ... than the vaguely pumpkin-shaped ones previous years.

Comments (18)

  • DMForcier
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here's a pic of the plant. It has been repotted three times already. Dropping lower leaves to reveal the pods. I guess that's normal, since the top leaves are doing great.

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    11 years ago

    Nope, likely not a Habanero, but it does look like a super hot. Maybe a Naga.
    Bruce

  • DMForcier
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The first picture is way too orange. They ripen pale then bright yellow. Here is a shot of the first fully ripe pod next to a serrano - a little over 2.25" long.

  • Boost313
    11 years ago

    This topic has popped up many times on another forum this year. Bonnie worlds hottest habanero not being habanero. The conclusion over there is a Fatalli. Which is a way better pepper than standard ole orange habs.

  • DMForcier
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Fatalii, huh? Does the name indicate that biting it could be fatal?

    Wikipedia -
    "The Fatalii is a ... Capsicum chinense that originates in ... Africa. It [has] a fruity, citrus flavor with a searing heat that is comparable to the standard habanero. The Scoville Food Institute lists the Fatalii as the sixth hottest pepper ... 125,000 ~ 325,000 units."

    "The pendant pods get 2.5 to 3.5 inches long and about 0.75 to 1.5 inches wide. From a pale green, they mature to a bright yellow." Yep, that's these guys.

    Thanks. I should have bought more of them. I think they were $3.

    Now I need a good citrus sauce recipe...

  • habjolokia z 6b/7
    11 years ago

    Just another opinion look at the devil's tongue pepper as a possibility.

  • Boost313
    11 years ago

    Yea that's a good deal and a way better pepper than the habs IMO. Good luck on your new find. It's a lot of people's favorite pepper for flavor and heat.

  • Boost313
    11 years ago

    Habajolokia it does resemble devil's tongue also. Was just going with others takes. Guess it's one of those that unless you've grown both you'll never actually know.

  • DMForcier
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Wow, are they similar! Based on the fatalii plant pics (because there seem to be no good devil's tongue plant pics on the web), and on a subtle difference in the pod shape (though I bet many of those "dt" and "fatali" pics are mis-identified), it is fatalii. Not much to choose, though. Size and heat rating are identical.

  • Boost313
    11 years ago

    Good, hope you figured your mystery pepper out. You should enjoy your new find. It's a much more exotic pepper than your standard run of the mill hab.

  • DMForcier
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Delicious! It has very thin, almost papery, skin and flesh, and has that wonderful habanero tang, though I'm not entirely sure one could call it citrusy. And the little m*f is HOT.

    This is a keeper. Now, what do I do to save seeds for next year?

  • habjolokia z 6b/7
    11 years ago

    Save seeds for next year. Two ways I do it. Cut pepper open carefully remove seeds and place on a paper plate and let them dry. I leave mine on the top shelf of the bakers rack in the kitchen. Other way is I cut in 1/2 and leave seeds in the pepper and just let the pepper air dry. Both ways have given me the same germination rate 90-95% germination.

    Mark

  • Boost313
    11 years ago

    +1 on Habjolokia's methods. An I too did not get the citrousy flavor others discribe in the Fatalii. It still tasted sort of habish to me also. Still a keeper, and +1 on the heat.

  • DMForcier
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here are the older pods turning. Lots more to go.

    For some reason the camera picks them up as orange. They are really bright yellow.

  • willardb3
    11 years ago

    Goes to show that Wikipedia is unvetted crap. No chile originated in Africa, they all originate in the Americas

    >>>Wikipedia -
    "The Fatalii is a ... Capsicum chinense that originates in ... Africa. It [has] a fruity, citrus flavor with a searing heat that is comparable to the standard habanero. >>>

  • tsheets
    11 years ago

    Fatalii's have a unique smell/taste, IMO. Not like a regular habanero. I also think they're hotter than a regular hab.

    Also - as a sideline - I have had Fatalii's that are more towards orange than yellow, I think it is environmental. With more direct light / higher temps they seem to darken to an orange tint. When they are well shaded / more mild temps, they seem to be very lemony yellow. Cameras / the Web seems to have a hard time with yellow. If you look at color space maps, a lot of yellow gets cut off in sRBG. It can be very frustrating when you're trying to get colors just right and you upload a picture and find that your yellows are pushing orange.

  • DMForcier
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I left a query on the Wikipedia articles about the "originates in Africa" factoid. It is possible that the plant was exported to Africa. There has, after all, been commerce between Africa and the Americas for nearly 500 years.
    ...
    Yeah, with the single pod/serrano picture above I had to use a black background and really push the brightness to get pretty close to the true color. Maybe "deep yellow" would be a better descriptor than "bright yellow", though they are pretty bright.

    I think I'll go snip them today. The seeds are very tiny, btw.

  • tsheets
    11 years ago

    Personally, I think Willard is arguing semantics. Sometimes the distinction is important, other times, not so much.

    Strictly speaking - all peppers originated in the Americas. But, over time they have developed many variations specific to their locations/environments. So, saying that the Fatalii originated from Africa, isn't exactly incorrect, IMO. Even though peppers didn't originate in Africa, it is possible that the Fatalii variant did.