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kateswchicago

Help with peppers!

KateSWChicago
11 years ago

Hi Everyone,

This is my first year planting peppers. I'm now trying to identify what the heck I got!

From left to right, I think I have:

#1 - jalapeno

#2 - hungarian wax

#3 - ?? italian roaster??

#4 & #5 - cayenne peppers

Any help would be so very appreciated....

-Kate

Comments (7)

  • esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
    11 years ago

    If that was the 4 varieties you planted, then I would say you have them ID'd correctly.
    Bruce

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    11 years ago

    #4 and #5 look like chile de arboles. #1 looks like a jalapeno or serrano. Does the plant that the supposed Jalapeno have long spindly branches with tons of fruit. if so, it may be a serrano.

    I'm no expert though. others in here are much more adept at ID'ing than I.

    Kevin

  • KateSWChicago
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes! The alleged jalapeno grew a TON of fruit and has branches like you described. Definitely might be serrano. I don't know, I just thought jalapenos would be bigger. To be honest, we thought #3 was a jalapeno but then realized it might be too big. When we get jalapeno poppers at the store, they seem much bigger than #1. :p

    I put the seed packet of what I planted in a VERY safe place....so SAFE I cannot, for the life of me, find it. Novice gardener. Lesson learned. I started a gardening journal so that won't happen again....

    Thanks!

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    11 years ago

    Kate:

    I think I've seen that pack in the bigbox stores before. It's called a hot pepper medley or salsa medley or something like that, right?

    It's been a while though, but I think I do recall serrano, not jalapeno. I'm also pretty sure the ones on the right are chile de arboles -- which is a good thing... although less heat than cayenne, they are definitely more tasty and versatile than cayennes imho. You'll definitely want to let them ripen to red and dry them in any case. When they're green, they just don't have the flavor or heat.

    Yes. Store bought jalapenos are pretty mammoth - mine are much smaller but still SHAPED like the ones in the store.

    That's a nice little variety you got there though -- plenty of heat, flavor, versatility, and productivity.

    Kevin

  • DMForcier
    11 years ago

    Serranos have a subtly different shape than jalapenos, and the one at the left looks like a serrano.

    The big one does look like an Italian Roaster, but from a web search it seems to have very limited distribution. I'd never heard of it. (Can't post the link to the data page as the forum s/w won't let me.)

    The ones on the right look like cayenne, only too small (and lumpy). So Kevin is probably right.

    Dennis

  • KateSWChicago
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks a bunch guys. Kevin, I am pretty sure you hit the nail on the head. Novice gardener me just randomly picked a couple seed packets and the one with the word "medley" appealed to me :)

    My guacamole recipe calls for a couple serranos, so I'm kinda happy that the jalapeno might be serrano.

    Definitely gonna dry those chile de arboles and will wait till they ripen up. Thanks again!

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    11 years ago

    Ripe and DRY, Kate. Those chile de arboles aren't the type to use FRESH.

    Dry them and keep in the spice cabinet -- when you want to use them, pull some out, toast 'em, grind 'em. Or toast and reconstitute with hot water. Or just dry and grind. Depends on the dish. Pretty awesome chile in my opinion. Nice heat and excellent flavor.

    Good luck.

    Kevin

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