How do you create a stunted chilli (offspring)

[Naga]

Is there any way to created a stunted version of a chilli plant? Forcing it to stunt with a smaller pot size I expect will stunt the growth of the one growing but will it have stunted children?

[BarleySugar]

No, that wouldn't work, you need to change the genetic make up, so you would need to select the smallest chilli out of a batch, self pollinate or cross pollinate with another small plant, plant the resulting seeds, select the smallest again etc. A bit like how pedigree dogs were originally bred from wolves, selecting each parent with the required characteristics, then interbreeding until they became fixed.

[Naga]

Ok thanks for your reply, interesting stuff, especially about the dogs, just been looking it up.

[lynda66]

or maybe you could turn it into a bonsai

[Mrs Jackson]

You can create bonsai chilli plants but they look better if they grow to full size first before cutting them back so you get a nice thick trunk, I think there's instructions on fatalii.net. It would be much easier to just grow an ornamental chilli plant though as they're bred to be small, my Prairie Fire plants only grew about 8" high last year.

Mrs J

[Flummery]

It's all down to breeding! You'd have to select for size, or cross with a small one. It's better to choose a small one in the first place I think.

[Eyren]

No, that wouldn't work, you need to change the genetic make up, so you would need to select the smallest chilli out of a batch

The smallest plant, that is! If you choose the smallest fruit, you'll get smaller fruit in the offspring.

If you just want a small chilli plant on general principle, "Bolivian Rainbow" and "Explosive Ember" are both pretty compact - see here for a huge range of chillies of different sizes:

Ready to Grow, Chilli Seeds, Tomato Seeds, Capsicum Seeds, Banana Seeds, Exotic Fruit Seeds