Ok, silly question...

[CapnChkn]

What's the "M" in "Jalepeño M" for?

I've grown Jalepeños for years and only lately do I see the "M" appendation. I've just ignored it until now, but like the Pirate who asked his captain why there was a steering wheel attached to his crotch:

The Captain said, "AAarrrr, it's driving me nuts!"

I can't find anything to tell me on the web! If it's for "Medium," where is Small and Large? if it's for Middle, where's Light and Heavy? Mediocre? Mundane? Moribund? Maple syrup flavored?

[livinonfaith]

Don't know, but the pirate joke had me snorting!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by CapnChkn

What's the "M" in "Jalepeño M" for?

I've grown Jalepeños for years and only lately do I see the "M" appendation. I've just ignored it until now, but like the Pirate who asked his captain why there was a steering wheel attached to his crotch:

The Captain said, "AAarrrr, it's driving me nuts!"

I can't find anything to tell me on the web! If it's for "Medium," where is Small and Large? if it's for Middle, where's Light and Heavy? Mediocre? Mundane? Moribund? Maple syrup flavored?

Worth

[Levent]

According to Dr Peter Merle (Semillas.de) M is for Mexico.It sounds logical to me.Jalapeno M is the most popular chilli variety grown in Mexico.

[tam91]

I don't know what it stands for, but they are hotter than some of the other jalapeno varieties.

[Keger]

M for Might be Pretty Good?

[Worth1]

It stands for mucho caliente.

Worth

[Redbaron]

Jalapeno M stands for Jalapeno medium hot. It is the current standard commercial Jalapeno. There is also an extra hot Jalapeno and a mild Jalapeno and the older and newer cultivars which can vary much more between mild to extra hot.

The Jalapeno M was developed by normal selection of op Heirloom Jalapenos to try and standardize the scoville units, size and flavor. They should rate between 3500-5000

Other cultivars can rate from a low as 1000 or less to as high as 17,000 or more.

[CapnChkn]

I can see that almost nobody else knows either. It would make more sense if there was a Jalepeño L, or Jalepeño H! I've grown some Jalepeño's that are so hot they tasted like soap, but these really left me wanting.

I actually like the cripyness of the Jalepeño, The Serranos are too mushy to crunch with a sandwich. Really around the heat I'm thinking, they're better for sauce, for me. But these "M's" don't have the teeth to bite back.

Now I did read about a variety called, "Fooled You Hybrid Jalapeño" that has no heat at all. There's actually some heat to the "M..."

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by CapnChkn

I can see that almost nobody else knows either. It would make more sense if there was a Jalepeño L, or Jalepeño H!

I don't know every Variety, but the hot jalapeno should have 5,000-10,000 SHU and the medium hot Jalapeno 3,500-5,000.

Why exactly the Medium Hot Jalapeno got abbreviated to jalapeno-M,

while the Hot Jalapeno doesn't get abbreviated to Jalapeno-H ????

I really don't know.

PS. If you like hotter varieties of Jalapenos and don't mind growing a hybrid, try Mitla. Or if you prefer OP heirloom types try to find "hot jalapeno" sometimes called "hot jalapeno chili"

[Wi-sunflower]

Not to throw a monkey wrench in this discussion, but Jalapeno M has been around for a long time. At least 25 years or more. I grew it before we moved to this farm in 88. It goes back to before all these various no heat Jalapenos.

To the best of my knowledge it stands for some disease resistance. I think for "mosaic" as in tobacco mosaic resistant.

Carol

[tam91]

At least under some conditions, it is reasonably hot. The ones I grew were quite a bit hotter than the jalapenos (generally very mild) that I got in the store. They also were hotter than Jalapeno Concho that I grew.

[Wi-sunflower]

Don't totally judge by store Jalapenos.

Like tomatoes, chiles are picked rather immature so they have a longer shelf life.

If a Jalapeno doesn't have any black on the skin or corky cracking, it won't be as hot as it is possible for that variety. Stores don't want the cracking as the chiles lose moisture thru them so don't last as long. But true Mexican cooks look for it if they want the heat.

Carol

[Worth1]

Just like ours, store peppers go from hot to not hot at all.
Growing conditions and age of plant determine this.

Even small immature peppers can be as hot as a fire cracker.

Worth

[Gavriil]

Don't know What the M means (the name sounded cool) I bought a pack of seeds a couple of years ago and didn't grow them, might try a plant or 2 this year just for kicks.