A decade ago my Filipino neighbor Joe gave me a few pods of this perennial "Tree Pepper" that Hot Pepper God Allen Boatman identified as a form of Capsicum frutescens. The original plant thrived for eight years with just a hard cut back and feeding each spring until a very severe freeze killed. Luckily I'd saved pods and so this year I have a few growing again in large Water Wise Container Gardens. The flavor and heat is on par with a good Thai Pepper (a form of Capsicum annuum). My original plant had quite the impressive woody trunk....here is an old pic of it plus close ups of the VERY plentiful pods.
Hey John,
ReplyDeleteI bought some seeds called "Red Mexican Pepper Tree" over 20 years ago. Some grew over 8' tall and lived for 5 years plus.
I had the big idea that I would cross breed and come up with my own Pepper. Well, the seeds were eventually sterile and Ive been pining away ever since. I think what you have is similar to what I started with way back when. I live in Coastal GA, where we sometimes only get one/two freezes per year.
I would love to get a few pods.
Brent Nichols
riverwolfchief@gmail.com