Chiltepines

[Amaranthos]

Hi. I have some chiltepine seed from 2005 divided into three batches of ten. Since I can't vouch for the viability of seed, I'll just send it out to whoever wants it (within the US, that is). PM me if you're interested.

[GreenZone]

FWIW chili seeds don't tend to keep as long as some. So anyone planning on using older seed should figure on a bit extra to compensate for that fact.

Randel

[Amaranthos]

FWIW chili seeds don't tend to keep as long as some. So anyone planning on using older seed should figure on a bit extra to compensate for that fact.

Randel

I know that germination is less likely, but I just wanted to make seeds of this somewhat rare variety available for sharing. :cool:

The only reason that I'm offering them now is that the organization through which I bought them, Native Seeds/SEARCH, doesn't list garden seeds on their site, but a 1oz bottle of them is available for $5. Again, this is the first time I've saved chili seeds, and I may have let them ferment too long.

[GreenZone]

I didn't mean to disparage older seed--far from it. With crossing problems being what they are, dedicated seed savers find themselves using older seed all too often. I just wanted to remind potential growers that they should maybe start a few more seeds than they might otherwise have done.

BTW, what variety are you offering?

Randel

[Amaranthos]

BTW, what variety are you offering?

Honestly, I don't know. The chiltepine is described as a wild chile -- and the reputed ancestor of domesticated varieties. I *believe* this variety was collected from uncultivated land in the Sonoran Desert. I'll see if I can find more info from old catalogs.
I bought the initial seeds from NativeSeeds/SEARCH ( www.nativeseeds.org ) about five years ago. Of the twenty seeds in the packet three germinated, two died of neglect (yes, due to my carelessness) and one has survived and thrived in a pot with assiduous seasonal pruning, top dressing and overwintering in my apartment. I probably need to trim the root ball, tho. I get a small crop of bird chilis each year. My dad eats 'em. Too hot for me. :D

[johno]

Amaranthos, I'll try to grow some if you still have any...

[Amaranthos]

Amaranthos, I'll try to grow some if you still have any...

Okay, send me your address. :D Two seed lots reserved, one to go!

Gary Paul Nabhan talks about keeping the wildness in our gardens. These seeds are a refreshing bit of diversity even (or especially) for an heirloom garden. :D

[johno]

I wonder how closely these are related to the tree pepper?