Good meat too. I'd also like to know what it is.

Wonder if the seed stock came from a cross pollinated jalapeno. The picture of the cut one kind of looks like a jalapeno on the inside. The outside doesn't....

Just a guess.

I grew a plant labeled as "finger pepper" a few years ago and they looked like this. They were pretty hot, though, hotter than jalapenos.

I'd put my money on a cross, could be a mislabel though. It definitely does not look familiar to me.

I checked "finger peppers" on google images, they seem to be different; long, slimmer, etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: Google images

The finger peppers' photos look like longer/bigger varieties of what I have here. The majority are much longer & slimmer than the one red I cut and showed. Whatever nutritional deficiency this plant had/has is in the works of being handled, which is resulting in longer peppers at this time. I'll cut and post again when I cut into another when they turn red.

I suppose that given the mishap this plant endured this season, it very well may be impossible to ID....except to say it ain't a jalapeño lol.

Definitely more of a kick than regular store-bought Jalapeños but nothing deadly.

Grace

Let me add just by saying, "HOLY SH*+!"

I posted when I tried the first red one.

I then picked off a few more about a week later (green and red) and much to my dismay, it tasted just like an Anaheim chile -- lots of nothingness and no heat at all. Bell pepper-like, almost.

So I gave up on the plant and put it into the corner of my balcony to either die on its own or meet its maker on my next "organizing/cleaning day". Which was yesterday....

To be safe, I ate one more and my head nearly popped off. The back of my head went cold and my mouth lit on fire. It's a different heat from Habs -- and probably closer to Serranos (if you understand the difference -- and that's the limit of my understanding of peppers).

For dinner, I took off six more (all green) and ate with food and yup, it is spicy as hell.

Here's an updated photo of this frustrating plant, haha.
FYI: the tiny red ones, which I guess are still stunted from the plant's original problem, are not spicy at all anymore. Some older flowers are emerging as red and short/small. Perplexing.

I'll post a photo of them sliced, separately.

Even the scent emitted as I slice is freakishly hot. Enough to make me hesitate to taste. I carefully tasted the red one and as the others, it's not spicy. I don't need to taste the greens; my nose is certain they are spicy.

Hoping someone can maybe ID. I'll probably replant just to see how it grows normally. In CA, zone 10a, I wonder if it's too late to start one?

Very interesting, Grace!
I was working at the Farm today, and I went out to the main garden to pick peppers for our spicy pickled brussel sprouts, carrots, and beans. I gathered Hungarian Wax, Jalapenos, and Serranos. There were a few red Serranos (which were curved, and caused me to question our labels) that I sampled...disgusting texture, and no heat. So I ate a green pod, and the green pod had plenty of heat...enough to make my lips burn. I can only guess that the capsaicin has degraded in the mature pods.

Josh

Puya look similar to the long ones.

Chile De Arbol can also look like them too.

Do they start out upturned then go pendant?
It looks like they do from your pic.

If I remember right,you are in N.Ca.

I'd go for Puya or Chile De Arbol.

EDIT:

Could be a Thia type too but in Ca. the stores sell a lot of Mexican varieties.

Though Thai Dragon is popular too,could be that too,as far as common stuff sold here goes.

Second row second pic on link below.

Puya might not be it,they tend to be fatter up top.

Google Pics for all 3 BUT I've found for Puya they show a lot of pics I think are Chile De Arbol-more like your pods,skinnier at the top.

On second thought ,in the San Francisco area,Lots of Asians....Sell what the Market buys...

Thai Dragon might be it.
That is if I remember correctly where you live ...From a Black Pearl post?

Here is a link that might be useful: Thai Dragon

This post was edited by smokemaster_2007 on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 22:08

Josh, how about your other peppers? Do you find that often -- peppers from same plant varying so drastically from one to the next?

Smoke!! I would be VERY surprised if our local Home Depot were selling Thai chiles as I never saw any there. BUT based on the link you provided -- it looks near identical.

However, with may~be a 4-5 of exceptions, the peppers DO NOT start out upturned. (I show one miniature red one--smaller than the normal peppers on the plant--that is upturned.) I've been looking at everyone's pepper photos of upturned growth and vowed to do one next year --- so pretty. But what does make almost scream out "Bazooka!" is the leaf and plant growth pattern your link shows. The thread I linked to in my first post is all about the tiny growth and some of the plants in your link show that same "massive growth, small pointed leaves".

I think you're onto something.
I looked up Puya and Chile de Arbol (latter of which I have cooked with) and similar -- but the plant itself is remarkably different.

I shall continue researching with Thai Dragon! I wonder if they all have to upturned. But the heat -- I'd totally believe they were Thai in origin.

THANK YOU!

Grace (and yes, in SF area!)

Grace, the other peppers get hotter and sweeter as they ripen. This was the first time I'd tasted a red pod that had lost its heat...and flavor.

Oh, and Home Depot as well as grocery stores sell Thai varieties around here.

Josh

looks a lot like my thai dragon peppers. they vary so wildly in heat between pods on the same plant, it's insane. some turn red really small, some wait until they're huge to ripen. the smaller ones tend to be hotter. the first pod to set on the plant was the hottest one yet. it's a slow burn, it doesn't hit you until you swallow. lots and lots of seeds too.

I've got 5 of these plants. some have peppers pointed upward, some downward.

great peppers for marinating meat, imo. lately I've had so many of these lying around I just cut 1-3 of them them up and throw them in with some skirt steak, teriyaki sauce, olive oil, garlic, and onions. works great with chicken too. great flavor. decent heat.

I've finally been defeated; I have found a pepper I cannot handle raw. These little beasts extend a lot of flavor and incredible heat, and I use them a lot in cooking -- but I can't take one bite of if, not even a tiny nip of it, without dying. My friend, who is the only person I know who can eat spicier than me, was invited to dinner just to try these, and two peppers in, even she was defeated.

I have mad respect for whatever these actually are.

Sounds like it's time to make powder...! :-)

Josh

I have the same thing with one of my plants - however it is a ring of fire which is right next to the jalapeno. The pods are much bigger than the pure ring of fire but still that finger shape.

At first I thought I had planted a jalapeno in with the rings but when they didn't "bulk" out I knew they weren't either jalapenos either. Now I'm beginning to wonder...