Quote:
Originally Posted by tjg911
maybe i misunderstood the question but he asked "sweet and hot on the same plant" not "less hot and hot on the same plant". i understood it to be the former, we know the latter happens with hot pepper plants.
i would think no but is it possible to have a variety of pepper that produces both sweet and hot? i can't see how because if the plant is producing capsicum then all the peppers would have it.
tom
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Capsaicin is produced in part as a defense mechanism, more is produced when a plant is stress or threatened. A sweet pepper with barely a touch of heat may turn into one that is hot by most peoples standards.
The seasoning peppers I mentioned are chinese species from the same family as habaneros, but they have been selected over many generations to have very little heat, an Aji Dulce #2 for example might as well be a bell pepper to me with regards to it's heat level.
However, if the plant is stressed by being attacked by aphids or a prolonged lack of water, it may come as a shock if you offer one to someone expecting a mild pepper. It may go from a capsaicin concentration of 20 PPM to 100 PPM under severe stress, but that's enough to shock someone expecting a sweet pepper.
Having experienced this many times, now I typically take a slice out of one and taste it myself before having someone try them for the first time. No need to have them think I'm a sadistic practical joker without cause...
