Calling Jalapeno Experts: Black Jalapenos???

Hey, Lower South.
This is my first time growing Jalapenos. They're doing really well.
Lately, however, a whole bunch of them (the fruits) started turning black. It doesn't look anything like sun scald. The peppers still look healthy and firm. Most of my jalapenos turn a brownish color and then turn bright red, and pretty uniformly. The black ones are not turning colors (black) uniformly, just in a splotch. This is happening on 2 of my jalapeno plants. I have 2 other jalapeno plants that are not having this problem. The plant that has many blackish fruits on it was bought as a transplant. The other 3 I started from seed (one of which is just starting to get black splotches on its fruits). They've had these black splotches for some time without progressing to red. I did some googling, and it seems that this happens sometimes, due to cross pollination, or just a rare strain of jalapeno. I didn't really find much, however, and some info I found was even conflicting!
I thought I'd better ask the experts.
So, are these okay to eat? What do you think is going on?
Here are pictures:
Here is the blackest jalapeno, on the plant I bought as a transplant.

Here is the same plant, different angle. The jalapeno in the top left corner is the same really black jalapeno from the picture above. It's only black on top. The underside is green.

Here are more jalapenos from the same plant.

Here is the other plant that just started doing this same thing. I started this plant from seed. This black splotch looks weird to me. PS - bad lighting. It's just shiny. The picture makes it look like a weird lighter color, but it's actually an all uniformly black and shiny blotch.

Here is a picture of more jalapenos from the same plant as above, but aren't black. They turn a brownish-reddish color before turning bright red. (Brother-in-law requested some red jalapenos, so am letting them ripen.)

I'm not in Lower South, and I am not really experienced... but I have a hot pepper that turns very dark purple / black, and it's just fine. Your plants look healthy to me, at least from those pictures. If the fruits' skin is starting to rot off / weep / etc. I would be worried, but if the skin in the dark areas seems just as firm as the rest of the fruit (which is what it looks like) it should be okay.

Thanks Megan! That's what I figured; I just wanted some extra support.
Thank you!

You're welcome! I think you're good, you just got a variety that turns color as it ripens. Don't be too surprised if it turns another color (like brown) if you cook it.

looks great to me also! Looks like maybe you have a crossed seed?

I'm in the lower south but no expert. I grew a jalapeno last year that looked like yours. I also found this site with a picture of a totally deep purple jalapeno. It is pretty.

http://www.totallytomato.com/dp.asp?c=36&P={B4F1C0C3-9383-4F36-BEC5-7AF9846316B8}

Like I said, last year I had a pepper that surprised me with the dark black/purple splotches. It was wonderful! It was so good, it never reached full dark color all over. Hope this helps.

Jane

Some of mine do that and then gradually turn red. If I don't use them then they will get hard and fall off... the taste seems to be the same as when they are green. After they turn red they are just a smidge milder and sweeter.

I have raised the J peppers for several years and determined that black splotches generally happen during the hottest part of the season and the peppers are going to be really hot, the hotter the weather the hotter the pepper, also not all varieties do this in my experiance the more mild lighter green peppers dont do it, I do however pick them as the splotches appear regardless of size.

Mine doing exactly the same thing, but seem fine. Edible and yummy! (Or so the hubby says, because I won't touch them.) He says the ones with black on them are much hotter, and of course the red ones are SUPER HOT. He won't eat them if they even have a little red on them because he can't take it!

Isn't that one of the normal patterns of color change for peppers, though? Green - brown/black - yellow/red? I know different types go through different color changes, but I always thought that green represented the least ripe, and red the most ripe (and usually sweeter). I thought that heat was usually more relevant to size than color, the smaller being the hottest. Please feel free to correct me on this one, though!

I've got a jalapeno in a pot that looks just like that. It seems to be fine.

My jalapanoes do that sometimes, and I've had bell peppers do the same thing, too. It never seems to affect the taste or quality and we've eaten them for years. I always figured it had something to do with the soil, either a lack or overabundance of some nutrient. My next guess would be the weather but I'm no expert either, and these are just guesses.