ghoghunter Even though Crossvine is a close relative to Trumpet Creeper, it is much more well behaved and not as aggressive as trumpet creeper. My two babies are in pots and will stay in pots for a couple of years before they are eventually planted out since they were just grown from seed last summer. Penny

first lets make sure I understand the question correctly. You say you have a pepper from a definite cross of a chiltepin and tabasco. This pepper is different from both the chiltepin and the tabasco. Lets call this pepper CT1 for Chiltepin Tabasco #1. You will take seeds from CT1 and grow them out and we can call them CT2. Your question is will CT2 be exactly like CT1 and the answer is NO. Most probably not. You can take some branches off the plant CT1 and root them. the rooted branches will be identical. If you grow many plants of CT2 and then 3 and 4 etc. eventually you will get to a point where what you have should breed true. This usually happens by CT6. If you select carefully you might wind up with something very close to your CT1 that you like so well. Now the good news. I think CT2 will be different from CT1 but the good news is that you will like CT2 as well or better than CT1. if you grow 4 plants you can expect on average to get one plant similar to C and one similar to T and 2 showing cross characteristics. But it really is much much much more complex then this. One more important idea you need to know. You will probably have a better chance of finding a CT3 that is similar to CT1 then finding a CT2 similar. the CT2 are more sure to be different. Too many people give up when CT2 does not look like CT1. You must go to CT3 with the correct CT2 made seeds. The bad news is that most CT2 will not produce the best CT3 that you are looking for. Personally I would ignore it all and just plant the seeds and make more the following year. They all will be nice and hot and tasty. Of course your winter is shorter than mine and you should at least try to keep the original plant alive and root some branches. I have an 8 month winter and have not succeeded in keeping them alive all winter. But it might work OK for you or for your friend in Texas.

I use thin bamboo stakes available at garden centers. I just cut mine in half and make a tepee out of them. Attach them at the top with a rubber band or twist tie. You can keep wrapping the vine around it and when you plant it they will just slide off.

I would love to have some cross vine, snail vine, jasmine, and honeysuckle for trade or postage. Check out my list and let me know. I really want some cross vine. Cuttings would be best for me but will be willing to take seeds if possible. Thanks.