VegetablePepper
Cascadura Pepper
Cascadura Pepper is a sweet Ancho-type pepper that brings Brazilian heritage into your garden with remarkable productivity and reliable flavor. An open-pollinated heirloom variety, it produces flavorful 3-4 inch fruits with zero heat (0 Scoville Heat Units) across hardiness zones 4-13. Ready to harvest in just 70-85 days from transplant, this upright pepper plant reaches 18-30 inches tall and thrives in full sun, making it well-suited to garden beds, raised beds, and even greenhouses.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
30 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
30in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
This Brazilian heirloom stands out for its exceptional productivity relative to pepper standards, delivering generous yields of sweet, meaty fruits on a compact upright plant. The fruits mature in 70-85 days, fast enough to produce a full harvest even in shorter growing seasons, while the plant's moderate 18-30 inch height fits seamlessly into most garden layouts. With no heat whatsoever and deep Ancho-type character, Cascadura offers serious flavor for cooks who want complexity without fire.
Common Uses
Cascadura Pepper works beautifully in any fresh or cooked preparation where sweet pepper character shines. The 3-4 inch fruits are substantial enough for stuffing, roasting whole, or slicing into salads. Their Ancho-type depth makes them particularly well-suited to slow-cooked dishes, sauces, and any preparation where you want sweet pepper flavor with real complexity rather than simple vegetable sweetness.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds in seed-starting mix at 70-75°F; germination typically occurs within 7-10 days. Provide bright light as soon as seedlings emerge to prevent legginess.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperature reaches at least 60°F. Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Space transplants 18 inches apart with 36 inches between rows.
Harvesting
Harvest Cascadura peppers 70-85 days after transplanting. Pick fruits when they reach full size (3-4 inches) and have developed deep color; peppers can be harvested green or allowed to fully mature for richer sweetness and flavor. Use a sharp knife or pruners to cut fruits from the plant rather than pulling, which reduces stress on branches.
Pruning
With its naturally upright growth habit, Cascadura Pepper requires minimal pruning. Remove any damaged or diseased leaves as they appear. Pinching the growing tip when plants are 6-8 inches tall encourages bushier branching and more fruit production.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Capsicum annuum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Capsicum
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (NI)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“Cascadura Pepper originated in Brazil, where it was cultivated and refined over generations into the productive, reliable variety gardeners grow today. It has been preserved as an open-pollinated heirloom, allowing gardeners to save seeds from year to year and maintain the variety's genetic integrity. This commitment to seed preservation has brought Cascadura into the hands of modern home gardeners and seed companies dedicated to keeping heirloom peppers alive.”