Hi there,
After seeing a picture of this plant on someones post of a recent visit to a fair (sorry can't remember who and the search function is down!) I would really love to grow it. After searching on the internet the only UK place I can seem to find is www.seeds-by-size.co.uk (http://www.seeds-by-size.co.uk) but they seem quite expensive there at £3 for 5 seeds plus postage. Does anyone know where I can get hold of them any cheaper, or if this is indeed the going rate for Black Pearl? ???
I think this is a Thai variety and if so try contacting 'peppers by post'
http://www.pepperbypost.biz
they might have what you are looking for and for yogurt to cool your mouth afterwards I would recommend....... ;D
Ah, I saw those. Small purple chillies on a purple plant - very pretty, I thought too. They were at the Chilli Fiesta (http://www.westdean.org.uk/cms.cgi/site/news/index.htm#chilli_fiesta) at West Dean Gardens.
I haven't found anywhere that sells them either.
The Peppers by post (http://www.peppersbypost.biz/) website says they don't sell seed, and Black Pearl isn't listed on their website to buy :-\
Maybe West Dean Gardens (http://www.westdean.org.uk/site/contact/index.htm) might be able to recommend somewhere to buy seeds from?
If you find any, do keep us updated - I'd like some too :)
names do get changed, even for the same plant - there is Czech Black, try
http://www.chillisgalore.co.uk
good luck :)
Nope, still not the same one ;D
The one described as "black pearl" had small marble sized dark purple fruit, on plant with dark purple stems and dark purple leaves.
trouble is the 'purple' colour will be an intermediate stage/colour, going on to red or true black - probably best to choose by heat strength as well as by good looks - I wonder why the so called 'black pearl' is so difficult to find - maybe phone and talk direct to one of the chilli suppliers - hot topic indeed ;)
Ooo, good point, I hadn't thought about them changing colour :-[ But the rest of the plant was such a striking colour, would be worth growing for that too :) Maybe it was more of an ornamental than a particularly tasty edible? (Just guessing...)
do you mind if I join in ;D I grow Purple Venezuelan , it has purple foilage,stems etc. and small round purple fruits, which turn red when ripe, its a very pretty plant and the seeds were from the real seed company two years ago, hope this helps /shades x
I had a pic of the Black Pearl on my chilli fiesta webpage so might have been me!
I too grow purple venezuelan and it's great - tho can be very hot. When they're still green and purple, they look like peas, and if you cook them whole they go completely pea green coloured. Which means folk don't notice them in a curry - thinking they are peas - until they bite one!
moonbells
Quote from: moonbells on August 17, 2006, 12:38:02
I too grow purple venezuelan and it's great - tho can be very hot. When they're still green and purple, they look like peas, and if you cook them whole they go completely pea green coloured. Which means folk don't notice them in a curry - thinking they are peas - until they bite one!
moonbells
what a wicked sense of humour :P
I've never actually done that to someone else, but it was done to me (and was how I discovered pea chillies).
They nearly blew my head off in a Thai Red curry!
moonbells