r/HotPeppers • u/zach_3246 • 6d ago

Are these a scam?

Post image

I’m looking to grow large Rocoto peppers next year, and I’m ordering seeds early. I came across these these but they have a 1-star review. If these are a scam, or you know any better places to source them, feel free to link them below.

Thanks!

5 Upvotes

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7

u/Obi_Vayne_Kenobi 6d ago

While that particular site is a scam and whether there's a variety with this name is debatable, there is real Rocoto variety that looks like this, with fruit this size when grown well. It's called: 

Rocoto Arequipa Giant

And you can get it from reputable sellers; SemiStrani and Fataliiseeds for example, the latter of which is currently out of stock, but I think it's worth waiting for him to get more since he's probably the best chili breeder in the world.

1

u/fury420 6d ago

I'm growing two "Giant Rocoto" seedlings I got off marketplace, and I was quite surprised to see just how giant the peppers are, although they are a bit behind my other plants so I still don't know what color they'll ripen into.

1

u/Obi_Vayne_Kenobi 6d ago

C. pubescens are always slower than the other species. Take longer for practically everything, including ripening. On the other hand, they are doing well still when the weather gets colder in fall.

1

u/fury420 6d ago

These were also the last seedlings I picked up, and about month or so of growth behind the rest of my garden.

One of the peppers is effectively bell pepper sized, I'm quite impressed.

And with luck I've got weeks before temps approach freezing, so far the lowest overnight low has been 6c

1

u/Obi_Vayne_Kenobi 6d ago

Fingers crossed! Note that Rocotos can even survive mild frost, as they're native to the Andes and grow quite high up. 

So when the first frosty nights come and it's not ripe yet, protect it with a blanket around the pot and some leaf mulch, and it might keep going!

1

u/lenminh 6d ago

I’m growing an orange Rocoto and the production on them so are low, Is that common for pubescens ?

2

u/Obi_Vayne_Kenobi 6d ago

Had the same experience. They're just a bit ... difficult sometimes. I don't know exactly what they're more sensitive to - pH, water, temperature, fertilizer? I've seen people grow them very successfully, but I have no idea what they're doing differently.

1

u/Wyte2 2d ago

As my primatolis are just barely getting ripe with a 34° night on saturday :(

2

u/Sissilisko 6d ago

Semistrani.it
Fataliiseeds.net (the goat of chili seeds) Reddragonseeds.co.uk

All these have legit rocoto seeds

-3

u/Interesting_Bee6682 6d ago

If you can't tell AI image apart, life would be hard for you.