JAMAICAN SCOTCH BONNET

This image was taken by Tom O'Hara who lives in Switzerland. The plant was grown from seed which I procured while in Jamaica in 1997. As you can see, the fruit in the center of the image has the traditional Scotch Bonnet shape while the surrounding fruits look more like Habaneros. This problem is wide-spread in Jamaica because of cross-pollination. It has been made even worse because chile growers tend to sell the best looking fruits and save the worst for seeds. The Jamaican Agriculture Authority is trying to breed for a more representative Scotch Bonnet shape.