[surbie100]

Some of my Chenzo F2s are very different, and I am guessing that they are reverting to one of the parents for the F1 seed.

I'd love some help in identifying what that could be. The flowers are purple with a white centre, like the black hungarian chillies. The fruit on them is currently growing upright, rather than drooping over.

Could that be it?

I'm only growing the F2s to see what happens - it's like GCSE biology practice! 

[compostqueen]

It's a British bred chilli so you'd have to Google to find out who bred it and then ask who the parents are.  It's frutescens family but it could be of mixed parentage.  Or it could be that you bred this one yourself if it's cross pollinated with other chilli varieties growing near it

The fruits should be black but it will be interesting to see if you get something different fruit wise too   

[surbie100]

I've tried quite hard to find out what the parents of a Chenzo are, but so far no joy. Commercial info apparently. 

The F2 seeds are ones I harvested last year when I only grew Chenzos. They are so tasty I thought I'd try the F2s and see what happened. Most of them look like standard chenzos so far with white flowers and black fruit, but there are 2 with these purple flowers and very different foliage. Purple fruit too.

Am looking forward to tasting them! 

[BabbyAnn]

Maybe a purple jalepeno cross?  Google it and look at the flower images - looks very similar with the purple tips and 5 petals (not 6)

[NewSteve]

From a genetic point of view, the chances of an F2 reverting fully to one of the F0 parents are very slim. You're much more likely to get an intereting plant in between.

My advice is to eat them. And if they're strong and tasty, breed them again 

[surbie100]

From a genetic point of view, the chances of an F2 reverting fully to one of the F0 parents are very slim. You're much more likely to get an intereting plant in between.

My advice is to eat them. And if they're strong and tasty, breed them again 

  Eating them is definitely on the cards.

One of the chilli seed merchants is trying to find out what the cross is for me, which is very kind. The plants from the F2 are really vigorous, so I just hope that they are tasty! And hot...! 

[surbie100]

Just to round this off, still no word on what the parents of a Chenzo might be, but the non-standard F2 chilli is now completely covered in small, purple, bullet-like fruits (pics below) which are very small but are HOT. I think purple is the final (and only) colour.

The chilli is more peppery rather than the slightly fruity taste of the ones which bred true, but is very handy to have and I may well try to overwinter this one.

It's been a really good experiment, I'd do the same again, though probably only with chillies. 

Saving seed from normal (ie not F1 etc) chillies is the next step.

[compostqueen]

Chilli seeds are easy to save 

Lovely chilli there, and so prolific!

[surbie100]

They are fab little plants and you get so much from just one.

Saving seed is easy - I just haven't got the knack yet of judging flowering times and getting there at the right moment so all mine are cross-pollinated this year. Next year I will be ready with muslin squares/old tights and bits of string! 

[compostqueen]

Chillies are one of my fave things to grow, the other is pumpkins, because of the sheer variety.  I like the Lemon Drop as they are so prolific and so beautiful too.  I have a special one at the moment as I have reared just one plant as I had a tiny pinch of seed left. It's got fruits on now and soon I'll hopefully be saving the seed so I can keep growing them as I can't buy them from anywhere. They are small green and really hot 

One of the prettiest I've grown is the Purple Tiger which has green white variegated foliage. Small plant and perfect for the window ledge. I have Prairie Fire in the house at the moment and these grow no bigger than 6" high but are said to be prolific. I've just started to get fruits on mine. Wahay    Hot too which is a bonus