HelpfulGardener.com

Hi everyone,

I've got a problem and hope someone will point the way to a solution. Early this spring I planted five varieties of Pepper plants inside and eventually got them all outside in containers or in the ground. What with all the moving indoors/outdoors and various places therein, many of the labels got all messed up. The plants are growing just fine, but I would like to sort them out. Here's my list: Ancho Red; Ancho Grande; Sweet Banana; Big Red; Golden Cal Wonder; Santa Fe Grande; and Big Red. I searched the forum before posting this query, mostly to avoid looking like a silly fool with this problem. Many thanks!

I thought some additional information might help. I started the seed indoors the middle of March. None have flowered yet. The bigger plants are six inches high; the shorter ones are three inches tall. There is some difference in leaf coloration but not much. There is a slight difference in the diameter of the stem. Thanks again!

I've only done a bit of pepper growing...and they all tend to look VERY similar. Some will have variation in leaf color or will have veins of color in the green leaf.

The bigger peppers seem to have bigger leaves too.

If no one can help you exactly identify them, its not the worst thing in the world. Cross pollination can lead to offspring (seeds) where your banana peppers will be much hotter, and the hotter peppers can become more mellow.

Some even report that the current crop can vary its heat levels.


I did the same thing as you, only I have just two varieties to keep separated. Bells, and some 5 color marble that are pretty small, so I just assumed the smaller seedlings were my hot peps.

Hate to say it but I'm pretty sure all of those peppers are closely related so you won't be able to tell what they are until the fruit grows out. The best you can do is try to remember which of your varieties were larger or smaller than the others. My ancho plants grew much taller than most of the others, but by that point in the season you will see fruit and know they are anchos.


If you had mixed up an ancho with a habanero you could probably tell the seedlings apart.


Most of us have been there, it seems to be a necessary lesson to instill tag paranoia in us.

Yes, we have all been there. It's even worse when you are selling plants. I can't sell those, I don't know witch peppers those are. Then their are the customers that move things around.

You'll know when they fruit.

ps I don't believe in the current year pollination influence.

This could be fun. I mean, what else is there to do, other than enjoy watching them grow? Eventually most of the peppers are going into the same jar anyway. The idea of the effects of cross pollination on taste for this first year is intriguing. I wonder if there's anything to it. However, I'm an organization freak, so the idea that my peppers are now going to be out of order still makes me fussy. And after all that work this winter.....

Many thanks to all of you who responded!

I can't help you with sorting them. But, one year I grew hot and mild peppers, the mild peppers got hot, so I blamed the hot peppers.

The last few years, I have refused to grow hot peppers at all. I do not have other gardens within miles of mine. And yet, my mild peppers got hot late in the season. It seems to just be characteristic of them.

Just enjoy them, and perhaps number them, then if you like the peppers, just save #3 or whatever.

or whatever, will never work for a organization freak.

Yeah sorry as you have seen we have all been there. I mislabeled some this year I think. not sure, why because they all look the same. The only way to tell is when the fruit ripen. Don't fret it will all come out in the wash. I can be fun and or frustrating trying to figure out what is what though.

Good luck, just sit back and relax cause time is your only friend now......


Well and us of course.