VegetablePepper
Sheepnose Pimento Pepper
Pimento Pepper
Sheepnose Pimento Pepper is a cold-tolerant heirloom sweet pepper that matures in just 70 days, making it one of the fastest pimentos you can grow. The plant produces distinctive 3-by-4-inch fruits with the characteristic cheese pimento shape, turning from green to deep red as they ripen. Bred for meaty flesh and zero heat (0 Scoville Heat Units), this open-pollinated variety thrives in zones 3 through 11 and adapts equally well to containers, raised beds, or garden plots. Its sparse foliage and compact 22-inch upright habit make it manageable even in tight spaces, while its natural resistance to blossom end rot keeps plants productive through the season.
Photo © True Leaf Market(https://www.trueleafmarket.com/products/pepper-seeds-sweet-sheepnose-pimento)
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Preferred Temp70-85°F
Growth Stats
22 in
Height
PeriodAnnual
TypeBush
Spacing
12-18 inches apart
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-11
Size
22in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
This heirloom pimento earned its name from the distinctive shape of its fruits, and the compact, almost sculptural plants deliver meaty peppers that are practically built for canning and roasting. The combination of cold tolerance, rapid maturity, and exceptional flavor without any heat makes it a rare find among pimentos, especially one that will produce reliably even in cooler climates. At roughly 22 inches tall with sparse foliage, it's refreshingly low-maintenance compared to many pepper varieties, requiring less pruning and still yielding abundant harvests.
Common Uses
Sheepnose Pimento Peppers are celebrated for roasting, canning, and processing. The thick, meaty walls and large cavity make them ideal for stuffing whole, a classic preparation in Spanish and Mediterranean cuisines. Their natural sweetness and lack of heat also suits them to preservation in oil, vinegar, or as piquante peppers for charcuterie boards and antipasto platters.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Mid-spring
First Harvest
Mid-summer
Last Harvest
Late Summer
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Sow seeds in seed-starting mix, keep the soil consistently moist, and maintain temperatures between 70 and 85°F for reliable germination. Provide bright light once seedlings emerge, ideally under grow lights for 14 to 16 hours daily.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors after your last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60°F, spacing plants 12 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. Set transplants at the same depth they grew indoors, and water gently to settle the soil.
Harvesting
Peppers are ready to harvest 70 to 79 days after transplant, when they reach their full 3-by-4-inch size. For green peppers, pick them as soon as they reach mature size. For full flavor and sweetness, wait until they turn deep red, which typically takes an additional 2 to 3 weeks after reaching mature size. Cut peppers from the plant with a sharp knife rather than pulling, to avoid damaging the branches. The meaty flesh makes them ideal for immediate use or preservation.
Pruning
The upright growth habit and sparse foliage of Sheepnose Pimento Peppers require minimal pruning. Remove any diseased or damaged leaves as they appear, and pinch out the first flower or two when plants are young to encourage stronger branching. Beyond that, let the natural compact form develop without excessive cutting.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Soil pH Range
6 – 6.8
Scientific Classification
Piper ponapense C. DC.
Family
Piperaceae
Genus
Piper