aaardvark
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Candy Cane Chilies

These seem to be all over the big box stores now. I've never heard of the variety. It's variegated leaves and fruit. The chili is sweet.

Who'd like to share any experience growing these? Did they do well? Was the fruit good? Did you buy a start or seeds?

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TomatoNut95
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Nope, never heard of it either. Is it a hybrid or an heirloom? If it's an heirloom I'd definitely like to try it. This year I am growing Fish pepper. Both foliage and fruits are variegated but fruits are hot.

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applestar
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All I know is they are F1 hybrids and I believe they are sweet peppers or mild peppers — like paprika (thick walled) rather than chilie? (Like Mexican peppers?) ...but I could be wrong. You didn’t say where you are located — how you call them might be different than the way I call them?

aaardvark
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All are chilies, regardless of level of heat. Just as all chilies are fruit, regardless of how we eat them. And just how all chilies are inidgenous to the Americas, regardless of where they are grown now.

Anyway, these are in stores in the Pacific Northwest. And, yes, they are described as being sweet.

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TomatoNut95
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A hyrbid? Rats.

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applestar
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I know *of* some (and may actually know one or two) hobby growers that have been trying to de-hybridize this one for the last couple of years @tomatonut. It will take a couple more years to achieve stability, but we can hope. :wink:

aaardvark
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So if I save the seeds from this hybrid Candy Cane Chili this season, I will likely get nonuniform plants next season that may or may not look like Candy Cane chilies?

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TomatoNut95
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Right. That's why I don't like hyrbrids, because more than likely you won't get the same F1 plant if you save seed from it. Unless you have a tremendous amount of room and do like @applestar said and attempt to grow out all the F2's and work on dehybridizing the Candy Cane. I'm sure it would take many, many 'F' generations to ensure a fully stable Candy Cane gene. So whoever dehybridizes it, let me know; I want some. But first, what does it taste like? Is the sweetness strong like a bell pepper or weak like a sweet banana or that Italian pepper I've got? I still can't pronounce or spell that name, but I bet it means 'weak flavor'. 😆

aaardvark
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TomatoNut95 wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 2:36 pm
But first, what does it taste like? '. 😆
I'll let you know in about 50 days!

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TomatoNut95
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Thanks! I hope it's got a good strong flavor! I was dissatisfied with that Italian pepper I've got, it's flavor was quiet bland, as well as my Black Hungarian.



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