# Mambo ornamental peppers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [August 25, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361 "2022-08-25T23:07:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/1 "2022-08-25T23:07:10Z")
The Spousal Unit bought two [mambo ornamental pepper plants](https://www.houseplantsexpert.com/ornamental-pepper-plant.html); one purple-orange, and one purple-red. I understand they are edible, but incredibly hot. Sounds like a challenge. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/2 "2022-08-25T23:24:18Z")
“Edible ornamentals” of any species are generally classified as ornamental because most people don’t think they taste good, Scoville units aside. Ornamental sweet potatoes, jack o’lantern pumpkins, and squash meant to be grown as gourds, are also in this category. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/3 "2022-08-26T01:35:30Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > “Edible ornamentals” of any species are generally classified as ornamental because most people don’t think they taste good, Scoville units aside. Yep, they’re bred for looks rather than taste, so they’ll add heat to your dish but not much flavor. Maybe a good candidate for pickling? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/4 "2022-08-26T03:09:30Z")
While I’m not really a foodie, I can, for instance, tell the difference between a jalapeno and a habanero, and heat has nothing to do with it. They just plain old don’t taste the same. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/5 "2022-08-26T03:31:13Z")
Are they grown deep in the jungle primeval by the inmates of a Guatemalan insane asylum? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/6 "2022-08-26T03:41:42Z")
This comes to mind every time I see the thread title. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EK_LN3XEcnw/maxresdefault.jpg "Lou Bega - Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of...)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK_LN3XEcnw) ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/7 "2022-08-27T03:35:58Z")
I grew the TAM Jalapeno (TAM stands for “Texas A&M”, where they were developed, FWIW) one year, and they’re one of several low-heat jalapeno varieties. Strangely enough they tasted just like bell peppers. I was hugely disappointed, because I was expecting _less_ hot jalapenos, not _no_ heat jalapenos. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/8 "2022-08-27T13:33:08Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Strangely enough they tasted just like bell peppers. I was hugely disappointed, because I was expecting _less_ hot jalapenos, not _no_ heat jalapenos. If you want jalapeno flavor with less heat, use normal jalapeños, cut the jalapeño in half and cut out the seeds and the rib that connects the seeds to the inside of the pepper (contrary to popular belief, most of the heat resides in that connecting rib, not so much the seeds). I’ll do this with maybe 1/2 the jalapeños I use if I’m making dinner for someone who is spice challenged. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/9 "2022-08-27T13:52:02Z")
There are dual-purpose peppers that are ornamental and good to eat. > **[15 Types of Ornamental Pepper Varieties](https://balconygardenweb.com/types-of-ornamental-pepper-varieties-can-you-eat/)** > > Check out the best Types of Ornamental Pepper Varieties that not just taste good but will splash a pop of colors to your yard! ---
**Author:** ![Dandan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/10 "2022-08-27T16:16:39Z")
Tito Puente, come back! Dan ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2022, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mambo-ornamental-peppers/970361/11 "2022-08-27T20:31:55Z")
SWMBO said that one of the plants had bugs. (I didn’t see any.) I ate one of the peppers after removing the seeds and membrane. Only a little heat, not a lot of flavour. I cut off the rest of the peppers and will see if they dry. The other plant is in a pot, and she put it in the kitchen.