skip to main content

Mysterious Thai Pepper!

18 years ago

Hello all,

About a month ago I acquired a thai pepper plant in an admittedly unusual way. I was in my favorite Thai restaurant (Thai Stick, in Millbrae, California) and I was admiring the enormous pepper plant they have growing in the window. So I asked about it, and they told me that the owner had been depressed because she couldn't find hot enough peppers here in the U.S. so she planted a seed that she had dug out of the dried pepper flakes that they use in the kitchen, hoping it would grow. Grow it did; it is enormous and happily pumping out scads of tiny yellow peppers. I asked for one of the peppers so I could grow it in my garden. "No!" they told me. "Take the small plant in the other pot!" They looked at each other and conferred for a second in Thai. "You should dig it out, because plants like you," they said. So then they handed me a plastic spoon and a pair of kitchen gloves. I dug it out; they packaged it nicely in a plastic bag and it sat next to me all through lunch. I've planted it in a large pot in the backyard and it is doing nicely.

So this brings me to my question. It is a fiery, fiery hot little pepper, and yellow. It's the same as a Thai Hot pepper, as far as I can tell, except that the fruit is yellow. Occasionally one will turn red, but I have been watching their enormous plant as well as my smaller one and the vast majority of the peppers stay yellow. I assumed Thai Hot peppers all turned red. Am I wrong? Anyone have any experience with them? It is an absolutely wonderful little pepper, burning hot with a nice fruitiness to it. And as plants go, this one makes the best story.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

erik417
18 years ago
Hmmph, sounds a bit familiar. One of my favorite Thai places in Springfield, Missouri is called 'Tong's', and he showed me a frozen bag of his EXTREMELY hot 'thai' chilis, and they were all varying shades of yellow, with a few orange/red ones floating around in the bag. I took some seed, and voila! It produced a Tabasco plant. It too is huge, and cranks out bundles of these little imps. It is easily the largest chili plant I have, and if I get a chance later today I will post a few pics of it. Keep in mind that tabascos are used while they are still yellow by some--like the 'Steak and Shake' resturaunt chain, who bottles them whole in vinegar, and also red by others like McIlhenny's (sp.?).
Tom_Yum
18 years ago
That is interesting, the Peppers here become a very bright red. It is uncommon to see the yellow ones here in Thailand. I will be at the growers market on the weekend I will take a photo of the 20 pound bags that they are sold by.
Related Discussions
Question on thai market pepper/general pepper Q
Q
Comments (5)
woohooman, One thing I've thought of is smaller containers but rich soil regularly amended - kind of like a half way between traditional and hydroponic.... Welp - i need to take inventory, see how many can fit into beds, and how many are left over for container experiments....I guess I'll try to put a variety in containers and the ground, rather than dividing by variety, and see what all happens.
...See More
ID of mystery Thai 'olive'
Q
Comments (2)
Marcelo, there seems to be two kind of fruits commonly referred to as Thai olives. The ceylon olive(Elaeocarpus serratus) and the ambarella(Spondias dulcis/cytherea). The name Ma Gawk seems to refer to either one. Both can be found pickled and canned in Asian markets. I'm sure you are familiar with ambarella so I am guessing this other one must be the ceylon olive though I don't belive its fruit are red and I don't know if these are ever processed into sweets.
...See More
I have Peppers (Thai, Chocolate Douglah)
Q
Comments (6)
Pretty sure Trinidad Douglah and Chocolate Douglah is the same pepper. I haven't come across any other pepper with the Douglah name. Douglah is slang for mixed race in Trinidad. Although from what I understand, the Douglah pepper is actually a land race and not a cultivar or hybrid. I suppose after the Ghost Pepper came to the attention of westerners, we started combing the planet for the hottest peppers. The Chocolate Douglah is one of the top hottest peppers on the list. It's average SHU is roughly the same as other peppers, being just below the Carolina Reaper. That being said, it tends hover around it's average heat level, so it's ideal for cooking, but less likely that you'll have a pepper closer in heat to an extra hot Carolina Reaper. Also it's burn tends to be longer than some other super hots. The Carolina Reaper is the hottest, but tend to have a short burn time. Making it ideal for people wanting to eat the world's hottest pepper and not torture their mouths any longer than necessary. One guy is crossing the Chocolate Douglah with a Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, resulting in a hellacious burn that lasts for a very long time. Forget the name of the pepper, but I believe this year will mark it's F7 planting, making it a stable variety. I hope the guy sells the seeds next year.
...See More
Thai pepper questions.
Q
Comments (6)
At 1st I was thinking you maybe have Thai Dragon when you described it, but from the pic ur pods look considerably lighter green than mine are. It's possible they are could be an unfamiliar (to us) variety of Dragon, since he told you that it was a special variety brought over from Thailand. Short of that, your plant & pods look great! I'm sure that like most peppers, yours will ripen to red, but I could be wrong. Please keep us updated!
...See More
dmullen
18 years ago
How large are those peppers. My wife is Thai and used to use some that were about 1/2" long and thin like a pencil lead. They really burned.

I like hot food but could not take those and was blistered once.

Can you post a picture of them?
john47_johnf
18 years ago
This is a new small one for me this year. Called Thai kee Nu
oriley
Original Author
18 years ago
Yep, the mystery peppers look just like JohnF's peppers, but they are yellow. And they pretty much refuse to turn red, except for a very, very few.

Perhaps I'll have to get a plant like dmullin was describing and specialize in weensy fiery hot peppers. I can think of worse hobbies!
dmullen
18 years ago
I have tried to find those peppers in local nurseries etc. but have not been successfully. She got her seeds from friends in Thailand who mailed them to her.

I don't want to eat many of them but I like to grow peppers. Right now, my first Habanero plant is producing and we have picked on pepper. More on the plant and will probably pick them sometime this week.
earlejj
18 years ago
Is Thai pepper and suryamukhi cluster peppers the same pepper. I am trying to locate eather plant.
cmpman1974
18 years ago
Hi Oriley,

I e-mailed you several times regarding a trade for the thai yellow pepper seeds. I thought we were going to move forward, but I did not hear back. Can you e-mail me privately? Thanks!

Chris
NYCPepper
18 years ago
Hey there. I have a pretty large thai pepper plant that i've grown from seed. It's in a south facing window in a 7-inch pot. It's about 18 inches and flowering, but the flowers die and I have yet to get any peppers. I water once every other day (just cut back from once a day). Is it too late in the season to get flowers, am I not watering enough, too much???
john47_johnf
18 years ago
I would put it in a little larger--10" pot-- and only water when the soil is dry. I have overwintered Thais that produced all winter so that should not be a problem.

john

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Summer Crops: How to Grow Peppers

By Marianne Lipanovich

Some like 'em hot; others like them sweet. With the incredible range of peppers available for home gardens, you can have your pick

EDIBLE GARDENS Great Design Plant: Roselle Tantalizes With Beauty and Flavor

By Steve Asbell

Call it a fruit or a flower or a sweet vegetable. This hibiscus is so lovely, all that matters is calling it forth in your garden

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING World of Design: 10 Home Gardeners Show Us Their Sweet Summer Harvests

From New York to Tokyo, these gardeners have turned their yards, terraces and rooftops into places of bounty

DECORATING GUIDES So Your Style Is: Curiosity-Cabinet Chic

By Apartment 46 for the Home

Create an uncommon mood that whispers of adventure by showing off your treasures in an intriguing way

FARM YOUR YARD If You Have Room for Only One Summer Crop ...

Get an edible that’s long on flavor even if you’re short on space, with a long-time gardener’s favorite picks

SUMMER GARDENING How to Grow Basil

By Marianne Lipanovich

Bright color, quick growth and endless uses for cooking make this summer annual a winner in the garden or a pot

EDIBLE GARDENS 12 Essential Herbs for Your Edible Garden

By Annie Thornton

Make home cooking and drinks even better with herbs plucked from your own backyard or windowsill pot

EDIBLE GARDENS 6 Summer Edibles That Can Really Take the Heat

By Steve Asbell

When garden temperatures soar, these herbs and vegetables rise to the challenge

FUN HOUZZ Houzz Quiz: What's Your Decorating Style?

By Mitchell Parker

Answer these 9 questions to find out what decorating style suits you best

COLOR Consider Giving Your House a Big Bolt of Blue

By Lara Sargent

From fresh, vivid turquoise to power-packed cobalt, blue is a great way to lift a neutral color palette

Sponsored