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strange flowers on my pepper plants and no fruit.

9 years ago

Hi!

I am very new to forums so bear with me..

Ive had a garden for the past probably 5 years or so, but this year was the first year i bought organic NonGmo seeds and started my entire garden from seed. This is also my first year for growing peppers.

When I started my seeds, I had them in a little greenhouse on my back deck and a gust of wind knocked it over and my seedlings went everywhere, so I also don't know what pepper plant is what. My plants have been in the ground and have grown significantly over the past few months, just no flowers showing any sign of producing me some awesome peppers. (varities that I know I have seeds for are: purple bell peppers, orange habanero, and jalapeno) So I'm not sure if maybe its my climate (located in southern CT) or maybe my soil?

So. My question is. Does anyone know why my pepper plants aren't producing flowers that produce fruit? And what are the white flowers on the tops of my pepper plants?

Id appreciate any help I can get!

Thanks!!
Nicole

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Comments (12)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
9 years ago
If you look closely, you'll find the vining stems of a dodder, a parasitic plant that has infected your pepper. Those are the flowers of dodder.
DMForcier
9 years ago
I was going to suggest Joe Pye Weed, but I think you nailed it.

Dodder is not a good thing to have in the garden. Do whatever it takes to get rid of it!

Dennis
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Nicole1207
Original Author
9 years ago
I just looked up dodder and it doesn't look like it could be that.. only 3 maybe 4 of my plants have this strange flowering on them.. I added a picture I just took an hour ago it's better quality than the first one I posted. Thanks!
woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
9 years ago
Whether it be dodder, Joe Pye weed, or something else... It's definitely NOT a pepper plant.

Rhizo1 is pretty damn good at I.D. I'd take her word for it. Post the pic on the "name that plant" forum for confirmation.

Kevin
dbarron
9 years ago
LOL! That's not pepper, that's a poke plant!
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
9 years ago
The second picture looks different than the first one.
Nicole1207
Original Author
9 years ago
this is really upsetting. i KNOW i planted pepper plants, but unfortunately they got knocked over in my little greenhouse and was happy to see what i thought was pepper plants survived. i do have "poke plants" in my yard already which i hate and have been trying to get rid of.. i just dont understand how since i started everything from seed and planted them in my garden they arent what i thought they were :(

thanks everyone for your help.. i guess im going to dig up these plants and hope next year i actually get pepper plants :/

Nicole.
dbarron
9 years ago
When you got poke, make poke salat!
DMForcier
9 years ago
Oops. Not Joe-Pye. I've been calling pokeweed the wrong name for years now. I think dbarron is right. Poke sallet.

Nicole, poke is also known as American nightshade. Peppers are also in the nightshade family. So it's a pepper relative. [Huh? really?]

Dennis

Here is a link that might be useful: Poke this
seysonn
9 years ago
I think It is a plant in the greater Nightshade family, It grows fruits in a clusters , like tiny berries. Just a guess.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
9 years ago
Pokeweed....Phytolaccaceae family. Not related to any of the nightshade kin, all of which are in the Solanaceae family.

I really thought it was a pepper plant with the little dodder flower poking up through it, lol. And then the second image from the different angle proved me wrong.

The green berries that develop will soon turn deep purple. That's when you'll recognize the pokeweed that we all love to hate. :-)
esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
9 years ago
Well, you are good at growing weeds anyway.
Never heard of those weeds. Maybe they don't grow up here but I hope you did get some pepper plants to make it through the green house mishap.
Bruce

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