Chili – Mutant

Chili “Mutant Candlelight” is one of the rarest and most unusual chili varieties in the world. He is recognizable by his extremely thin, threadlike leaves, which makes it considered botanical specialty and a true collector's plant. Although it is edible, grown exclusively as an ornamental plant without culinary value.

This unique variety is the result "Candlelight Red" chilli mutations“, which is caused by FILIFORM gene. This gene can affect any type Capsicum, but in “Mutant Candlelight” its manifestation is particularly pronounced – the plant has filamentous cotyledons, narrow elongated petals and tiny fruits of unusual shapes.

The plant is extremely compact, reaches 20–25 cm high and approximately 30 cm wide. It branches at the ground, and at the tops of the shoots it forms clusters of leaves, flowers, and small fruits. The leaves are only a few millimeters wide and about 5 cm long, the flowers are white with characteristic long, thin petals.

Most fruits are parthenocarpic – seedless – and very small and irregularly shaped. Only about one fruit in ten contains some seeds, which further increases rarity and collector's value this plant. The burning sensation is uneven, sometimes barely noticeable, other times mild (around 10,000 SHU), but this feature is not important, since it is mainly about an ornamental and botanically interesting plant.

Interestingly, plants with the mutation Mutant Candlelight extremely resistant – they transmit cold to 0 °C, as well as heat and drought, therefore it is assumed that they come from the desert.