skip to main content

Wild Pepper Plant (photos(

10 years ago

Hello!

Well, this little beauty decided to sprout right next to the concrete deck. It looks like a chiltepin/birds eye pepper, the typical wild pepper plant around here. I'm thinking about transplanting it (let me know if that's a bad idea)

I believe this happened because about a year ago, I had a pepper plant sprout out of no where in a pot (had to of been the birds). Then, I moved and my room mate got a dog and he knocked over the pepper plant one day, and I think more seeds were in the soil which spilled every where (near the same spot of the plant).

Also, there was a period in the spring where 10-15 birds would come and eat the dog food and crap all over the place, near the same spot of the plant. So maybe they ate some peppers else where and planted a seed.

Questions: This IS a chiltepin/birds eye pepper, right?

-Safe to transplant?

More pictures to come... Could only upload 1 at a time?

Featured Answer

nc_crn

10 years ago

That looks suspiciously like an Eastern Black Nightshade.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (18)

SpicyThumb
Original Author
10 years ago
Photo of the peppers. Waiting for the suckers to turn red!
woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
10 years ago
Looks like tepin/chiltepin. I wouldn't move it, Looks to be pretty darn established and happy. Why move it?

Kevin
Related Discussions
Searching For Wild Bird's Eye Pepper
Q
Comments (3)
They're called Tepins, Pequins, or chilipetins, colloquially. The grow wild here in Texas, usually in bottoms where's there's sufficient moisture, some shade, and protection from northers. I'm in western Bastrop County Texas, and they used to grow wild around here until CC started the unending droughts of the last ten years. You can obtain Tepin seeds at Tomatogrowers.com, and they are the real deal. Slow to germinate, though. Of the six I planted last year, three survived our hard winter, and are growing well. Depending on where you are, give'em morning sun/afternoon shade, and water the first year until they've established a root system. Bone meal helps too. They'll get about 3'X3', and when a bush is full of peppers, you'll be sorry you planted'em because picking is a PITA... ;-)
...See More
Needed Rare Wild Pepper species
Q
Comments (3)
I sorry I don't have pepper seeds, but will suggest you spray paint all your flower pots WHITE using that Fusion paint for plastics. One can goes a long way.
...See More
Thoughts On Wild Peppers
Q
Comments (20)
My thoughts on wild peppers (and please note that this is entirely my thoughts on *ME* growing them, and not on wild peppers in general): I don't like wild peppers. I grow a lot of different things, most of which I grow for their uniqueness. Last year I grew broccoli romanesco, bhuts, and blue tomatoes. This year I'm going to be growing bhuts, trinidad scorpions, blue tomatoes again, purple potatoes, african cucumbers/jelly mellons/kiwano's, and white watermelon. I've also got a numex Halloween ornamental growing as a house plant. As you can see, most of my stuff would be classified as "weird" (seriously, do a google image search for "kiwano" and just look at these things). A few normal things here and there like blueberries, some cherry trees, and a grape vine, but mostly weird stuff I can hand out to friends and family to get a "What in the name of God is that?" reaction. So, when it comes to wild peppers, I don't see much appeal. They're small, they're typically not very interesting visually, and they don't have a super good taste or soul scarring heat. --- Bit of a related side story since we're sharing, my friends and family knew I had been growing bhuts this year, as I had offered samples to anyone I could talk into trying them. At Thanksgiving, someone brought green beans with red slivers in them. It was amusing to watch every single person ask me if I had made that dish the instant they laid eyes on it. They all feared my peppers that much, and for that I was thankful. =)
...See More
were to find wild pepper plant seeds
Q
Comments (2)
dustin - many of the supermarkets carry a variety of peppers that will grow, with irrigation, where you live. Hungarian hots, Banana peppers, even Habeneros can be found in most grocery stores. I grow a Thai Bird pepper that is extremely hot, yet tasty. If you'd like some send me an e-mail fawnridge at bellsouth dot net and I'll tell you where to send a SASE.
...See More
nc_crn
10 years ago
fwiw...

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/species/sopt3.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Eastern Black Nightshade
don555
10 years ago
I agree on the nightshade ID. You don't want to be eating those berries.
nc_crn
10 years ago
Also, in case you've eaten some...the berries aren't very toxic unless you ingest a whole lot of them.

Mild toxicity would be nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc...

It's not the "deadly nightshade" variety more commonly found west of the Rockies with the bad reputation.

Some people are quite tolerant of the mild amount of toxins in the berries and make jams/pies out of it...go figure.

Still...I wouldn't bother trying to make them edible...or playing around with what's a toxic dose for you. It's not worth it for the most part.

This post was edited by nc-crn on Wed, Sep 18, 13 at 22:19
esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
10 years ago
I would say the nightshade ID is dead on according to the link posted. But as far as being toxic, I would say your might be better off eating one of those than a Bhut pod.
SpicyThumb
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you for the input everyone!

It definitely looks like the Eastern Black NIghtshade, like mentioned. I will just rip the plant out of the ground now.

I thought it was weird that there was multiple fruits rather than the single pepper with the chilitepin.

Much thanks.
judo_and_peppers
10 years ago
scary concept. something that looks so much like a pepper...
woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
10 years ago
Once again, My I.D. skills are poorly displayed. lol Does look sorta like a tepin though.
. Kevin
SpicyThumb
Original Author
10 years ago
Indeed, Judo & Peppers. I had no idea there was such a plant that looked like the Tepin.

And Woohooman, same here. I agree, it does look like it a little tepin.That's why I posted the photos. Always good to get many opinions.

Oh well, my newest pepper venture will start in a couple months. I will try and start a thread since I created this account.
seysonn
10 years ago
What makes it suspicious that it has multiple fruits cluster. But as far as I know that is not the growing habit of peppers.

I have seen nightshades with similar fruits bac in GA. Their fruts turned orange when ripe. The stem and leaves had thorn. ALSO, they looked more like eggplant than pepper. Flea beetle loved them just like eggplant.
willardb3
10 years ago
Tepin is an annuum and does not bear multiple fruit on a node.

Not a tepin
wjp4140
10 years ago
Peppers, tomatoes, potatos and eggplants are members of the nightshade family.
seysonn
10 years ago
wip ... correct but here NIGHTSHADE is referred to the deadly toxic ones.
Horse Nettles is referred to some of them as well.

This post was edited by seysonn on Fri, Sep 20, 13 at 6:18
PepperGuy222
10 years ago
There are multiple peppers out there who grow in clusters as well, for example, Yatzi Pepper, which I'm growing. But, there is no mistaking those bad boys.
sandy0225
10 years ago
nope, its a weed. time to get rid of it. But I will say by the picture it is a really pretty one!
t-bob
10 years ago
plus the fruits were falling down rather than up, that was my first thought when I saw the second pic....yank that sucker

Related Stories

NATIVE PLANTS Great Design Plant: Wild Bergamot, Friend of Foragers

By Pollination Press LLC

Nourish butterflies and other winged creatures with the tubular flowers of Monarda fistulosa, a pretty pink native

NATIVE PLANTS Great Native Plant: Grow Wild Quinine for Its Unique Clusters of Blooms

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Get connoisseur cred and unique blooms with this uncommon plant. Bonus assets: It’s low maintenance and drought tolerant

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Wild Lupine Dresses Up Rocky Gardens

By Pollination Press LLC

Spiky blue flowers and a high tolerance for poor soil make this plant ideal for tough sites

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Wild Geranium Puts on a Color Show

By Pollination Press LLC

Oodles of bright blossoms and an easygoing nature make this woodland plant a welcome addition to a shady garden

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Try California Wild Grape for Interest All Year

By Debbie Ballentine

Sure, it’s stunning in fall. But the spring buds, summer grapes and gnarled winter vines are gorgeous too

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Wild Birds Transform a Woman’s Garden and Life

By Mary Jo Bowling

How Sharon Sorenson created a wildlife haven and became the Bird Lady of Southern Indiana

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Living on the Edge of the Wild

By Falon Mihalic

When Mother Nature is your neighbor, the possibilities — and responsibilities — can be that much greater

GROUND COVERS Give Your Lawn a Taste of the Wild

Consider the joys of an irregularly trimmed meadow lawn: It’s ecofriendly, visually interesting and still good for romping

FUN HOUZZ 31 True Tales of Remodeling Gone Wild

By Mitchell Parker

Drugs, sex, excess — the home design industry is rife with stories that will blow your mind, or at least leave you scratching your head

KITCHEN DESIGN 10 Wildly Colorful Kitchens That Thrill and Delight

By Vanessa Brunner

See how some of the most vivid kitchens on Houzz let loose with fearless color and personality

Sponsored