It looks like a type of cayenne. My Kung Paos look just like this.

Thanks! My sister-in-law planted it in my backyard and she said it is serrano peppers. I looked up serrano peppers and this does not look like a serrano pepper plant.

The pods should ripen to red. I use them for making Kung Pao Chicken and Hot Pepper Vinegar. They dry well.

It does look like my pepper plant!

Kentishman, very off topic but I thought I would ask....Is the flavor of the Kung Pao peppers quite different from other cayenne peppers? I am new to this pepper growing, I don't know much. I would like to grow at least one (or maybe two) cayenne type peppers next year so trying to choose. From any authentic Chinese food I have had, assuming Kung Pao peppers were used, I really liked the flavor. I see Burpee sells a Kung Pao pepper. Where did you get your seeds? Is it a high yield type?

Thank you so much!

K.

Some cayennes do look very similar to De Arbol. My first guess was De Arbol also. One of my all-time faves...good heat, GREAT flavor, very prolific. Let ripen to red and dry pods. Toast them when cooking for even more awesomeness to flavor. Get a cage around it now or it will be flopping on the ground... very spindly branches.

Kevin

katyajini, I haven't compared my peppers with other cayennes, so I'm no help there. I got my seeds many years ago from Park Seed. They list it as a hybrid, so strictly speaking I can't save seeds and call them Kung Pao. However, I never noticed any changes in it over the years, so it's pretty stable. The pods dry well, and I use them throughout the year for Kung Pao Chicken, Shrimp, or Beef. Cooking for two, I find two dry pods give the correct spice level for us. This year I've got two plants and I'm getting way more pods than I need. I'll be pleased to send you seeds. The other way I use it is for pepper vinegar. I use green pods for the vinegar.

Thank you Kentishman, that is good to know. And its so kind of you to offer seeds. I might just wait till its about time to start germination again. I have never made pepper vinegar. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I think I will enjoy it. Its nothing but filling a clean jar with washed peppers and pouring hot vinegar to fill the jar, right? It will be fun. Thank you, K.

woohooman, you are not kidding about these being spindly! I have to prop them up every which way. K.

I add a clove or two of garlic to the bottle of pepper vinegar. It's easy. I put a lot of peppers in the bottle. When the pepper vinegar is getting low, top up with new vinegar and more pepper flavor will leach out of the pods.

Ok, I just got a cutting from one of my coworkers... she doesn't know what type of pepper plant this is... Anyone have an idea?